[Official] Rate the Abu Dhabi GP

[Burnsie]

After 2,000+ votes from a UK-based F1 fan website:

10	████ 4%
9	██████ 6%
8	████████ 8%
7	█████████████████████ 21%
6	███████████████████ 19%
5	████████████████ 16%
4	████████ 8%
3	██████████████ 14%
2	██ 2%
1	██ 2%

At first glance it looks positive, but it's fairly even: 42% rated the race from 1-5, with 58% voting from 6-10.

Our Ten Tenths poll is even closer!

[Streaky]

I was working at the event as part of KED 3 and just want to say a huge thanks to the guys from Silverstone Rapid response unit for showing us the ropes over the past few days. True Pro's.
I'd also like the experts/moaners here to forward your thoughts and suggestions to ADMM for their reveiw. It's your valid inputs that get things changed for the better.
As for the race....the tacmac needs a bit more 'seasoning' to get the best out of it. I'm sure that it will improve with use and we'll have a world class event that we can be proud of.
I give it a 4 for sheer showmanship......but shoulder blame on the the drivers for the boring racing and not the curcuit.

For those of you who came over to the UAE as marshals and assistants we look forward to greeting you back here again next year.

[Bononi]

Hopefully next year the teams/drivers will go there in a close battle for the title, that should make things look exciting there... booo Abu Dhabi.

[JamesH]

Originally Posted by chris bailey

Tasteless Bling facility. Why is it that the packaging is becoming more important than the product? That tunnel pitlane exit is a disgrace.

Disgrace? Why? Seemed to work ok.

Originally Posted by chris bailey

As for the racing? Nothing will change until they get rid of front wings altogether. The rest of the aero then takes care of itself. That way, Jenson could have remained stuck to Mark Webber's gearbox through the fast stuff and out-braked him with ease.

Take off the front wing = slower than GP2, FPA, F3. Can't really have a race series that is meant to be the pinnacle, that's slower than the feeder series.

If you want to watch aero-less racing watch FFord, Locost etc. Racing is much more exciting too. Slower than F1, but much more overtaking.

[brands hatch]

a 5 from me...nothing special in anyway...but i enjoyed the last lap fight

[Sodemo]

Got a 5 from me, not awful, and at least there were a couple of passing moves, great last lap, but the majority of the race was rather dull, Lewis retiring robbed us of a decent fight at the front.

[chillibowl]

from the scenery i may have really been watching a race on another planet but aerial shots aside i was thoroughly impressed by the race. maybe its just a case of managed expectations but there were a few items here that i feel made this more than average.

watching drivers go two wide and stay that way for multiple corners fighting for position. the fact that it happened a few times outside of the first lap made it for me a excellent race.

[strider]

If you think the venue was tasteless bling, don't bother going to places like Disneyland. I am sure that in year or two this place is going to be setting the standard for that sort of facility; it's not far off already.

However, unless they change the circuit there is never going to be great racing. It's pointless to blame the drivers. They can only do their best with what they have. I thought the pit-lane exit would be a problem, but it wasn't. It was actually quite interesting to see which drivers were prepared to explore the limits there.

If I were ever to go to Abu Dhabi I think it would be for a week or so and the first part would be spent exploring the facility. The race would be almost an add-on, although it did seem that the spectators were closer than usual to what action there was.

[Ralf's Girl]

It had its moments, but they were a bit few and far between from my liking, and sticking a shiny hotel over the top of a circuit doesn't suddenly make the racing exciting. I give it a fairly generous 6, and hope that there's a bit more to play for when they get there next year.

[Splatz the Cow]

Great race.

But it needed more difficult access, horrible parking facilities, mud along all the walkways and fan areas, poor viewing spots, terrible weather conditions, financial problems, complaints from locals, protests, government disinterest, narrow pitlane and small pitboxes with not many garages.


Or just bring back Silversone.

Track layout is brilliant and has a visual flow to it that must be wonderful to drive.

The bad news is it makes all the European facilities look like junkyards in comparison - motoracing scrapheaps.

[TwoSheds]

Got a 5 from me. It would have been 3 or 4 had I not been out there as one of the marshals.

[chris bailey]

It was actually quite interesting to see which drivers were prepared to explore the limits there.

That's what F1 should be all about, exploring the limits of the pit-lane exit!!!?
I despair.

[Dan Friel]

I marshalled it, had a great weekend BUT the F1 race was one of the most boring races I've seen. The supports put on a great show though!

[Fox89]

Originally Posted by chris bailey

It was actually quite interesting to see which drivers were prepared to explore the limits there.

That's what F1 should be all about, exploring the limits of the pit-lane exit!!!?
I despair.

It's an unlimited speed corner through there, but quite slow... maybe we could see some overtaking there next year!

I think there should be bonus prizes for accomplishments in a F1 race. Every overtake gets you a £50 bonus, and a trophy for the first person to overtake in the Abu Dhabi put exit!

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by Splatz the Cow

Great race.

But it needed more difficult access, horrible parking facilities, mud along all the walkways and fan areas, poor viewing spots, terrible weather conditions, financial problems, complaints from locals, protests, government disinterest, narrow pitlane and small pitboxes with not many garages.


Or just bring back Silversone.

Track layout is brilliant and has a visual flow to it that must be wonderful to drive.

The bad news is it makes all the European facilities look like junkyards in comparison - motoracing scrapheaps.

Good point ! That makes it clear that we don't need everything perfect on the trackside to have a great track ! Bring back Silverstone and all that matters about racing !

[JamesRamone]

Spectacular circuit, usual yawn fest of a race unfortunately

[Belatti]

4

1 for Kamui
2 for Button attacking at the end
3 for Webber defending ar the end
4 for Hamilton making Heikki look like a snail, again

[JeremySmith]

Welcome to Tenths Belatti! Have fun...

[Last2LiftOff]

Originally Posted by Streaky

...but shoulder blame on the the drivers for the boring racing and not the circuit.

You can't be serious Streaky, the driver's? Give me a break would you, how on earth do you figure that?

Originally Posted by Splatz the Cow

But it needed more difficult access, horrible parking facilities, mud along all the walkways and fan areas, poor viewing spots, terrible weather conditions, financial problems, complaints from locals, protests, government disinterest, narrow pitlane and small pitboxes with not many garages.


Or just bring back Silverstone.

[Last2LiftOff]

A 4 or a 5 solely for the chicken and egg factor on the circuit and race, and because no one's calling it state of the art.

[Ralf's Girl]

Originally Posted by Belatti

4 for Hamilton making Heikki look like a snail, again

Considering that Heikki was hampered by car trouble in both qualifying and the race, and Hamilton dropped out after 20 laps, there isn't an awful lot of comparison to be made this time - I don't think it's worth an extra point on the race score!

[Graz]

Originally Posted by brands

Fantastic facilities, spectacular sights, rubbish race track. Yet another new, Tilke designed white elephant.

When will one of these middle or far eastern Governments include a decent racing circuit in the requirements ??


Dire race, I give it 2.

Spot on, couldn't agree more. People were raving about the track but in reality it's the total complex is what's impressive. The track itself is awful. Singapore is the same, the night race aspect is intriguing (yet a complete and utter waste of money, totally unnecesary to waste so much money and power in this way) yet people rave at the spectacle. It's a truly God awful track though.

Something that's on every Tilke built track that I just don't fathom are chicane type sections that really serve no purpose. These are a feature of all his circuits and I'm not sure of their purpose. Also, why are all tracks these days being designed with corners such that drivers can run miles off without penalty of doing any damage to the car or losing significant time. I know it's a safety thing but I'm beginning to lose where the track boundaries are. These kerbs in the middle of the road are nuts.

Praise be for Portimao. At least it shows that tracks with character can still be built. How I'd love to see a Grand Prix there. I'm assuming Tilke didn't design it because it's got soul.

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by Graz

Singapore is the same, the night race aspect is intriguing (yet a complete and utter waste of money, totally unnecesary to waste so much money and power in this way) yet people rave at the spectacle. It's a truly God awful track though.

I agree. It seems that Singapore night race goes against all the save-the-planet concept.

[Steven Humphrey]

I actually thought the track was good-better than most of the newer circuits, with maybe the exception of Istanbul. I have absolutely no problem with ultra modern circuits being on the calendar BUT there needs to be a balance with the classic tracks. Comparing Spa, Monza or Silverstone to Abu Dhabi is a bit like saying 'what's best-the Acropolis or the Petronas Towers?' Both are impressive in their own right.

[Andrew2001]

Ban wings? What are you people seriously drinking this evening?