Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2011

It's almost that time again, and thankfully in this part of the world we're back to a more civilised hour for a Grand Prix! :D

James Allen has an excellent introduction to the race along with a bunch of useful statistics here:
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to be acid test for 2011 overtaking aids- James Allen on F1

There will again be 2 DRS zones, one on the main straight with the detection zone just before the Turn 7 hairpin; the second after "turn" 10 which is more of a curved straight. There's a circuit map here (PDF):
http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre...bd-circuit.pdf

Derek Warwick is the Driver Steward for this weekend (source).

My (hopefully) useful self-updating Twitter thingy is here, quite handy to have running alongside live timing.

Some useful track data from Cosworth (PDF): http://cosworthformula1.com/press/do...bu%20Dhabi.pdf

Tyres for this weekend are SOFT and MEDIUM (source), with some experimental soft compound being available for Friday practice.

:D

...yawn...

Great post Dave but I must agree with Schmenke :yawn:

Unless Pirelli and the DRS can transform this GP, that is. (Or Schumy tries to pass his team mate.)

Watch Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2011 live streaming online here. The 2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is scheduled to be the eighteenth and penultimate round of the 2011 Formula One season. It will be held on 13 November 2011 at the Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island.

Live Streaming Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2011 Online

Abu Dhabi trying to get one over on Canada with the Wall of Double Champions :p
BBC Sport - Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button head Abu Dhabi practice

Well done Seb! Great speed showing there! :up:

Good evening Mr Mansell!

Watching the footage of Vettel's face whilst he's going at 200mph, I can only conclude that's he's a madman. He doesn't appear to be concentrating at all but rather smiling into the face of danger. I bet that as a kid he'd climb onto the roof of his house during electrical storms. It's that sort of face.

Impressive to see Vettel's eyes during the whole pole lap! He's barely blinking for 1 minute 38 seconds!
Great POV for the camera!
Funny to see how he is checking the giant screen while crossing the line!

PS: Watching the post qualy conference now and he is blinking very often, so different from when he is driving.

Great qualifying from Vettel again, delivering right at the end. It looked like McLaren had pace for pole position, Hamilton's Q2 would have been enough for pole, but they failed to maximize the potential yet again. 14 poles in a season - might leave an impression that the car is dominant, but looking at evidence it really isn't so - Vettel has been able to keep making the difference. Interesting to think about the contrast to Mansell's season then, when taking poles by 1 or 2 second advantage was normal. :)

Other than that not much to say, everything looked as usual. Important for Sauber to have Pérez going well and in front of Toro Rossos to have a hope in the WCC battle.