Have all the important information for this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at your fingertips with the F1 Fanatic unofficial race programme.
The race
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix preview – Alonso should have pace to take on Red Bull
Vettel: "It depends where Alonso and Webber are" – Press conference featuring the four championship contenders
How F1’s first four-way title fight can be won – Who needs to do what to win
Klien keeps HRT seat for Abu Dhabi – No change in the driver line-up for the last race of the year, although Fairuz Fauzy will drive for Lotus in first practice in place of Heikki Kovalainen
Championship Calculator – Keep on top of how the race will decide the championship using the championship calculator.
Stewards
Former F1 driver Emanuele Pirro is the drivers’ advisor to the stewards this weekend.
He joins Nicolas Deschaux (FIA World Motor Sport Council member and President of the F?â?®deration Fran?â?ºaise du Sport Automobile) and Lars ?âÔÇôsterlind (Honourary President of the Swedish Automobile Sport Federation and FIA World Motor Sport Council member) plus a local representative.
The track
Used for the first time last year, Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi is the ultimate hyper-modern racing track built for a no-expense-spared price.
A massive hotel complex overlaps part of the circuit and is illuminated during the race. The pit lane exit goes under a tunnel beneath the track.
The race begins in the early evening and as night falls during the 55-lap race the floodlights come on.
For all the glitz, the circuit is not the most exciting on the calendar, although its two long straights give ample opportunity for overtaking.
The only change to the track ahead of thus year’s race is an extension of the run-off area at turn eight and the addition of more impact-absorbing TecPro barriers. Sebastien Buemi’s cousin Natacha Gachnang crashed heavily there during a GT1 World Championship race earlier this year, breaking her right leg.
Sebastian Vettel’s video guide to the track is above, see below for Mark Webber’s.
Read more: Yas Island, Abu Dhabi – circuit information
The weather
No surprises here – expect a dry weekend plus the usual sunset.
Read more: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weather forecast
Following the race live
We’ll be commenting live on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from start to finish. Join us for the race, qualifying and all three practice sessions at these times:
Friday 12th November 2010
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Free practice 1 – 13:00 – 14:30 (09:00 – 10:30)
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Free practice 2 – 17:00 – 18:30 (13:00 – 14:30)
Saturday 13th November 2010
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Free practice 3 – 14:00 – 15:00 (10:00 – 11:00)
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Qualifying – 17:00 (13:00)
Sunday 14th November 2010
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – 17:00 (13:00)
Times are local times with British time conversions in brackets.
More session times and live blog details here: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix TV times
Also make sure you follow F1 Fanatic on Twitter for updates throughout the race weekend.
2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix highlights
Lewis Hamilton scorched to pole position on Saturday but quickly hit trouble on race day, retiring from the lead.
That left Sebastian Vettel to claim victory while Mark Webber fought a rearguard action to keep Jenson Button at bay in the closing laps.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying – Untouchable Hamilton claims Abu Dhabi pole
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race report – Vettel leads a Red Bull one-two in finale
Images © Force India F1 Team, Toyota F1 World
Mach1
11th November 2010, 15:21
I just read on BBC rain is predicted for practice and quali. The fact they have rain has been on news headlines in Abu Dabi, needless to say it is a rare occurence.
Race day is predicted to be dry though. A track covered in wet sand?
Jur
11th November 2010, 18:51
rain in Abu? you kidding, trolling, or some1 at BBC is smoking?
Check this: http://worldweather.wmo.int/117/c00222.htm
Mach1
11th November 2010, 19:12
That report states their will be rain on Sunday!
Your link just supports the fact that there might be rain!
http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=394114&FS=F1
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/5016
Who knows, maybe Bernie has done a deal with mother nature for some advertising space…
infy (@infy)
11th November 2010, 19:36
Should dry up pretty quick though.
Jur
11th November 2010, 20:46
Maybe Berni… but… compare Abu to for example Tombouctou (Sahara dessert)
http://worldweather.wmo.int/034/c00134.htm
King Six
11th November 2010, 16:44
Vettel did a much better lap for the video than Webber, I’ve been mostly watching the Webber versions of Red Bulls simulator previews that you keep posting, but you should have been posting the Vettel versions instead!
macahan
11th November 2010, 19:45
Kinda funny look around 1min 32sec. You can see Mark got all 4 wheels well of the track in a short cut. OOops. Well at least he didn’t hit the wall as Vettel did in his Monaco race preview ;)
US_Peter (@us_peter)
11th November 2010, 22:28
I liked when Vettel hit that wall and kind of coyly smirked.
Bebilou
11th November 2010, 17:18
The worst track on the calendar, by far.
macahan
11th November 2010, 19:47
Don’t think I agree with that. Valencia or Barca is the two worst one. Out of 3 races in Valencia I fallen asleep twice. :(
US_Peter (@us_peter)
11th November 2010, 22:29
They should make Valencia a night race.
…and run it under sprinklers.
Calum
12th November 2010, 8:18
What a shock I got when I saw it was Seb doing the English commentary on the Redbull sim as opposed to Mark.
And what a shame it is that Mark isn’t allowed to use the sim anymore, it can only be Seb in order to give him the maximum advantage this weekend. ;)