Comments on: Rate the race: Abu Dhabi

By: Arun Srini

Arun Srini — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:17:36 +0000

Agree!! ppl who talk about kobi had lighter faster and what not, forgot that Jenson braked late(a driver error under pressure) and didn’t defend his position, plz learn from Webber,

By: Arun Srini

Arun Srini — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:15:17 +0000

Agreed!!cant wait for 2010

By: aj

aj — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:05:25 +0000

Another uneventful race, but relatively good when put in context of what we’ve seen this year. I think the track itself is a good one, and should one day show some attractive racing once the cars are made for passing. Only bummer is that the weather won’t ever present a variable factor.

Brilliant driving at the end between two quality drivers. Taking off my fan cap and thinking with my brain – Webber paying 16 at the bookies for next season has to be a joke???

By: Chalky

Chalky — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:56:21 +0000

I found it a bit dull, mainly because of the track design. For a new track, with a clean sheet to start with it should have provided better racing.

I had more hope of this longest straight in F1 helping drivers with a good tow. It did give a good tow and then a turn and another long straight. But after that the track was ruined by a chicane that spoilt any chance of two cars going side by side into the next section! Like when Button was chasing Webber.
Why was that needed in the design?
Webber drove well to defend at the end.

Otherwise I had to give it a thumbs down.
The TV coverage missed Jenson passing Reubens at the start and sometimes, we seemed to have a gap on the camera shot, like they ran out of cameras and we had to wait to see who appeared around the corner. Again, very much visible on the battle between Webber and Button.

TV coverage is so important that missing passes and having too few cameras for sections is just ridiculous no matter what happens on track.

By: UnicornF1

UnicornF1 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:23:34 +0000

I couldn’t decide if 3/10 or 4/10 was the most right to give.
Everything was fantastic besides the race.
But wait a moment. The RACE is that matters!

By: Patrickl

Patrickl — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:11:04 +0000

Indeed I also see qualifying as the biggest reason why there is no overtaking. Start the cars on their race fuel ordered by the speed which they just demontsrated with the same car. How can you even expect any overtaking at all?

Next year will probably be different though. Cars qualify with little fuel and then start the race with a lot of fuel. That could potentially completely change the performance of the cars and thus the order.

By: spanish senora

spanish senora — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:12:18 +0000

The excitement went out of the race once Lewis had gone.

By: PJA

PJA — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:22:07 +0000

Although I don’t know the attendance figures, most Grand Prix at the established circuits seem to get decent attendances and I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them manage more than 50,000 for qualifying or even Friday practice.

It is mainly the relatively new circuits of the last ten years which seem to have attendance problems partly because some of the countries do not have much history of motorsport in general let alone F1 so the fan base isn’t there.

What they have managed to do in Abu Dhabi may be a great achievement and the facilities may be the best in the world, but that doesn’t mean the circuit itself or the Grand Prix is the best in the world. It shows what can be achieved with a blank cheque book and government backing.

While there have been dull races at traditional circuits this year as well, they have the advantage of history, so while Suzuka 2009 may not have been a great race fans remember races such as 2005, so they know that Suzuka is capable of hosting entertaining Grand Prix, whereas new circuits can’t say this year may have been dull but the race a few years ago was brilliant.

Also I think some of the negative feeling amongst fans towards the new circuits is because they have replaced much loved Grand Prix such as Canada, just look at the reaction when it was announced Donington would replace Silverstone as the host for the British GP.

By: Hotbottoms

Hotbottoms — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:19:54 +0000

Nice point, but a bit misleading since everyone commenting here is more or less F1 fan and will be watching every race next year. But majority of people watching F1 races are occasional viewers and it just might be they don’t watch this boring race next year.

By: PJA

PJA — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:03:31 +0000

I have also noticed how Vettel keeps mentioning KERS, if he thinks he is at such a disadvantage I would simply ask him would he have preferred to have been in the KERS equipped McLaren for all of the season or his Red Bull.