2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix lap charts

2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

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Sebastian Vettel avoided a penalty during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix by allowing Romain Grosjean to re-pass him after going off the track.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix lap chart

The positions of each driver on every lap. Use the control below to show/hide different drivers:

https://www.racefans.net/charts/2012drivercolours.csv

012345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546474849505152535455
Lewis Hamilton11111111111111111111
Mark Webber2555555555555555555544477766644101098888
Pastor Maldonado333333333333333333332333444446111111109999665555555555555555
Kimi Raikkonen42222222222222222222111111111111111111111111111111111111
Jenson Button56666666666666666666555433333264444444333333333333334444
Fernando Alonso64444444444444444444322222222753333333222222222222222222
Nico Rosberg712212121212120
Felipe Massa87777777777777777777666566101515141414141312121212998777777777777777
Romain Grosjean9222222222222222020202020201918181817161515141414141311101097755555
Nico Hulkenberg10
Sergio Perez119998888888888888888777655555329987777121414141312121717171717171616151515
Paul di Resta1223232323232323212121212121202019191817161616151515141211111088766665511111010999999999999
Michael Schumacher13101010101010101010101010101010101010109999910881413131313121111111188781614131212121211111111111111
Bruno Senna14191717171716151515141414141313131313121112121212129988755141313131310109988888888888888
Kamui Kobayashi158889999999999999999888889161412121212121110101010776666666666666666
Daniel Ricciardo1611111111111111111111111112111111111111101010111111111616151515151515151515131212121111111010101010101010101010
Jean-Eric Vergne17131212121212121213151515151414141414141413131313131210998666141414141111101099101111111112121212121212
Heikki Kovalainen1815131313131314141413131313121212121213131415161616151313161616161616161616141313131213141313131313131313131313
Charles Pic191716181818181818181818181817172020202019191919191919202019191919191919191917171717
Vitaly Petrov2016151516161717171717171717161616161919181818181818181819181818181818181818161616161516161515151515151515161616
Timo Glock2114141415151516161616161616151515151618171717171717171718171717171717171717151515151415151414141414141414141414
Pedro de la Rosa2221202020202021191919191919182121212121202020202020201917202020202020202020181818181717171616161616161717171717
Narain Karthikeyan2318191919191919
Sebastian Vettel242018161414141313121212121121191717151512111110108777532222222444444444444443333

There has already been much debate on how fortunate Vettel was to finish on the podium, behind title rival Alonso, having started in the pits.

It’s worth noting that both drivers benefited from events outside their control. It’s likely neither would have finished on the podium had it not been for Lewis Hamilton’s retirement with a fuel pressure problem and Pastor Maldonado’s KERS failure during the first safety car period.

As the chart above shows Vettel made a string of passes during his ascent through the field including three on lap 16 alone. However the third of these, on Romain Grosjean, was completed with all four of his wheels off the track at turn ten.

Vettel was stung by this in Germany when he passed Jenson Button with all four wheels off the track and received a penalty after the race which dropped him from second to fifth.

Red Bull were not about to get in trouble a second time and race engineer Guillaume Rocquelin was quick to tell Vettel to “give position back to Grosjean now”.

He complied before the lap was over, then re-passed Grosjean on the very next lap, this time for good. This was a vital move for Vettel on a car which was quick enough to win the race, which was also on soft tyres that were little older than his.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race chart

The gaps between each driver on every lap. Use the control below to show/hide different drivers:

https://www.racefans.net/charts/2012drivercolours.csv

12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546474849505152535455
Lewis Hamilton0000000000000000000
Mark Webber4.2473.2074.2525.3616.0146.7937.5128.3157.3572.9792.8563.0033.1892.495.0926.3327.0017.9478.6235.9057.0469.08115.9917.12118.20919.5719.73920.28922.50624.08940.11420.82822.10323.50625.34326.89928.774
Pastor Maldonado2.7531.6782.8133.6734.2124.9355.455.9221.7931.5831.7831.6841.5931.5292.623.9085.056.0197.194.6516.4778.23810.61413.01913.95515.15316.35318.95623.53643.21641.79723.78124.93326.24927.45828.30129.78232.60139.99212.4582.7072.8594.6685.7496.5137.7178.2968.9359.36810.2810.9711.63712.26213.22613.007
Kimi Raikkonen1.4080.8981.9652.3982.5363.0753.5713.8390.8730.7720.8960.760.8010.8061.6122.332.6923.0933.442000000000000000000000000000000000000
Jenson Button4.8594.1555.1586.1757.0427.8388.9989.80510.1833.943.8563.9453.6892.9615.8247.3588.1238.8969.7086.7617.7129.78711.25311.80311.88711.93511.94412.44713.59530.75127.8368.3758.8039.1489.5169.7069.9139.84715.4632.2371.111.6082.7993.6373.9554.5224.6485.0155.345.4155.1447.0537.4417.8067.787
Fernando Alonso3.552.3543.5284.4975.0675.6656.4627.5255.4682.1132.2242.322.2572.4274.4065.5246.1157.0418.0885.3265.4875.7936.2536.7416.8697.2597.71510.64129.75129.65526.9717.4257.9268.3168.6718.8269.0538.7249.2461.5860.5870.9541.942.5633.0143.2483.022.8282.2172.0291.7521.4851.0821.250.852
Nico Rosberg9.30335.81736.5837.36837.94839.74341.822
Felipe Massa5.5074.9956.2377.4828.2449.03710.29711.29511.664.4564.5554.6684.4563.7056.5158.7229.82711.07712.0729.40810.28911.42413.02316.32717.63731.15850.51650.77650.35749.96247.93828.9830.25631.46632.82234.12535.31437.19946.52418.5794.3064.4346.8318.4299.60811.27112.85214.07115.20416.87117.8218.9620.16721.7322.896
Romain Grosjean33.63156.83258.02759.01359.39260.55161.52367.44571.42438.86717.0918.83216.22311.90616.24220.66623.60326.7628.73726.1127.37328.60429.77731.30932.48933.90434.92635.92136.14536.89135.98517.92219.65621.50223.24524.64327.045
Nico Hulkenberg
Sergio Perez7.8036.697.898.9959.46710.24411.32312.10412.8195.5155.3255.6275.0974.1567.129.34610.61611.79112.94410.22311.06312.20113.65814.93615.55816.28517.28419.2220.27922.39638.43919.80621.36823.00624.87226.51228.31253.4389.84642.24310.0189.14811.10314.94642.09243.06443.74645.47946.0747.45249.02550.8252.65153.50256.768
Paul di Resta58.05282.93284.54486.14887.21188.57790.102104.032108.81876.08528.06819.77516.87712.50717.27921.44524.23927.39729.81827.86329.3930.77532.31233.76134.87436.1237.05138.00738.32638.76537.29519.17520.87222.49224.36625.89727.83230.25137.82321.1837.076.4049.03211.34512.4513.31914.77215.95616.83818.50919.3920.4521.57423.21224.16
Michael Schumacher8.3368.019.77311.52613.00214.52115.97717.48915.6597.917.1958.3317.4355.4418.59611.22112.85614.90818.14815.70817.07818.52819.87921.75224.2926.41529.9449.12648.90848.79246.69127.90529.4430.72132.12733.41534.39336.35944.20215.6544.73611.55113.62315.47716.03817.62119.20921.92222.82223.84124.19125.06625.85426.88228.075
Bruno Senna14.09916.26119.95423.94527.11629.74932.0233.71736.59712.81311.2712.82510.5837.17911.42314.81117.61220.00222.56220.56522.93224.70426.64128.25629.7131.1431.89132.6132.79133.3531.87914.61837.65538.42938.85339.41240.04241.0149.08119.1015.2394.9387.5339.0410.2912.08913.52715.09415.81917.60418.51619.58520.87322.47823.542
Kamui Kobayashi6.4365.8177.40310.45211.7813.24614.54516.01214.6036.4756.1367.2915.8475.0828.11410.56812.16214.16915.9413.79715.33316.82818.21620.32423.49242.71444.83546.246.07646.46144.65625.92627.18828.35929.43430.52931.80434.31841.9614.4723.4443.8955.9587.5768.81510.28911.64113.15414.0715.53216.1717.33118.57119.70520.076
Daniel Ricciardo9.0418.95810.94812.77214.51716.25718.05219.6619.8058.9488.6069.318.5586.129.56412.33714.19516.02518.85616.92318.89720.82923.95925.77927.43831.82153.70655.22356.02757.05855.60337.2239.45442.14544.39845.85447.78254.15565.35722.6978.1167.2439.79713.0614.00315.36716.5317.76918.93220.58521.62122.97224.38226.08527.463
Jean-Eric Vergne9.389.59111.68713.52515.57517.54919.55821.27625.25514.25512.91413.9211.9437.90312.03115.51218.24620.67524.0523.7125.22526.7328.30729.75530.93532.39733.51734.65235.35436.19934.88316.9920.43240.84241.92643.20644.35847.21953.96820.446.4685.8388.46912.63315.24517.14418.61821.46424.54126.61328.19829.82831.44833.06334.906
Heikki Kovalainen11.56112.22114.6217.28519.48521.86624.83827.3530.51911.53410.72111.9769.4756.74510.73214.02216.66719.29723.5123.12426.36529.78533.34935.91938.34440.83743.01847.03970.99572.31871.36753.86956.48558.68361.03563.38465.93273.83781.932.2038.978.74113.22117.39420.00622.98325.65128.57931.15934.01436.25439.1842.10145.69547.764
Charles Pic13.05415.89721.02424.95828.632.2136.14639.7945.40718.66815.61916.92714.0310.54115.85422.80526.93430.85334.72434.48638.05241.65944.94848.3751.90256.69180.10882.99185.38987.52487.71470.97774.00176.83979.99883.36186.738102.152113.59565.98726.04
Vitaly Petrov12.18915.38619.0423.47126.74530.84234.50539.03344.18617.22314.62115.78913.3999.46814.92519.17122.80328.94432.85832.82436.15139.62943.45147.44250.95754.32759.61882.04384.34786.25286.38969.72572.88675.67278.90181.94485.30399.994109.79761.01816.15511.14516.82220.91924.35427.78131.21534.89538.56442.41445.90750.48555.459.91664.595
Timo Glock11.24914.62718.2422.96226.08629.41634.03338.13142.7816.81913.76414.98612.6058.95814.37118.49622.03126.38531.25131.43635.09338.86642.16545.40548.57651.75356.88978.52380.09481.42380.78163.51666.21568.55570.82873.476.52488.76798.22752.33910.74910.56716.20119.65822.54525.71129.25233.08536.48140.02143.32146.44749.83452.93656.473
Pedro de la Rosa22.08623.3927.40431.7535.38939.41643.93950.59855.86319.33816.36217.86515.03311.6119.10424.75829.22833.41137.98938.46342.92846.8650.9855.01658.71662.57366.49171.73995.50397.58997.91281.28285.0688.53591.6594.86298.211118.381129.35286.51141.19313.20918.32322.627.09131.21934.79438.74542.45346.91851.85858.17662.61867.83471.778
Narain Karthikeyan13.73618.14923.04627.52131.40835.22139.748
Sebastian Vettel15.13216.77419.43321.04221.73122.52623.1923.75524.8959.7259.57810.2918.22912.87216.60619.70523.07523.79624.53121.24721.69522.11422.19922.43522.61322.83122.67922.75123.14923.25220.5971.4512.0862.7773.634.16.3524.429.8753.3292.2122.1323.3884.3624.4785.4485.5395.926.2246.4556.1285.8635.6985.1034.163

As noted in the pre-race analysis, if you’re a driver in a quick car starting at the back of the field a safety car deployment is what you want.

That was the case for Vettel in Abu Dhabi just as it was for Schumacher in Belgium last year and Alonso in Monaco the year before.

In Vettel’s case the two safety car periods fell very nicely, saving him around 12 and 26 seconds respectively. Without the second safety car period it’s extremely unlikely he would have finished on the podium – he was set for fourth place without it.

Had he been able to get past Button more quickly in the final stint, the race could have ended with a three-way battle for the lead between him, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso.

2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

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Image © Pirelli/LAT

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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17 comments on “2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix lap charts”

  1. Are you working for Total now, Keith? ;)

    1. @jonchuckle And Renault. And Pirelli….

      1. I knew it!

  2. I too like gRomain Grosejan

  3. Hang on a moment. Everyone is saying Vettel raced from 24th to 3rd, and that’s what the lap chart on this page indicates. But looking at this picture, it’s clear that Vettel started ahead of one other car – that of Pedro de la Rosa, who also lined up in the pit lane. Was he ever actually in 24th position?

    1. @Estesark That very point is addressed in the stats and facts article which has just gone up:

      Lotus take 80th Grand Prix win after 25 years

      1. @keithcollantine Thanks! Looks like that was published just as I was writing my comment.

  4. What really pops up in the second graph is Vettel’s flat line from lap 16 to 30 meaning he laped as quick as the Leader (Raikkonen) despite having to deal with traffic and overtaking. These 15 laps played in my view the biggest role in Vettel’s phenomenal success to finish on the podium. He gained 19 places in these laps , without those gained because some people in front of him pited earlier ( i think 7) means he did 12 overtakes in that period.

    1. This is the crux of why Vettel jumped all the faster midfield cars. His driving and his Red Bull on the new soft tyres were fast enough to allow him to pass Di Resta and Grosjean, who held up the rest of the pack once they’d stopped onto mediums. Once he got past Vergne who jumped out of his way, and a slow down the straights Senna, he also didn’t really encounter much more cars because they all pitted out of the way in time, besides Schumacher, who was around a second and a half of a lap slower than the leaders.

      1. Its really noteworthy how some people reading the numbers under their colored sunglasses. What about the 8 first laps when he drove with the harder compound? didn’t he overtook then? What about the extra pit stop he made? Didn’t he loose places and time then?
        He choose a setup with higher top speed for easier overtaking sacrificing absolute laptime yet he could keep the rhythm of the leaders. Is that so easy for you ?
        A setup which he never tried in practice?

  5. I think Grosjean’s and Di Resta’s performance dictated a number of strategies here. They were not fast enough to hold Vettel up but fast enough to ensure that whoever pitted came out behind them. And as they had pitted during the SC, they didn’t need to pit. This meant that Perez, Kamui, Michael, Webber, Felipe could not make use of the fresher tyres to make inroads into Vettel’s lead.

    Vettel made most of this opportunity though. He was behind them, overtook them and a bunch of other cars to build enough lead that he had a gap of a pitstop to Grosjean. And this gap he built was not due to “luck”, it was just his speed.

  6. Sebastian Vettel avoided a penalty during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix by allowing Romain Grosjean to re-pass him after going off the track.

    I didn’t actually see this “re-pass” when watching on the beeb. DID Vettel ACTUALLY let Grosjean re-pass him ??

    1. On Sky, I only saw Vettel’s illegal pass.
      But I did see that he was behind Grosjean a short while after that.
      And then I did see that he was ahead of Vettel.

      But I didn’t see any of the other two passes. Then again, I dont think they were exciting to watch.

      1. Thanx very much, I’ll let him off then, lol

  7. You make a fair point of Maldonado. He was losing 4 tenths a lap after the first SC. Safe to say considering his OK pace even without it, he’d have held on to second at the very least, and maybe even trouble RAI as he had the best straightline speed.

    1. Due to the KERS problem that is.

  8. Raikkonen was really able to take advantage of that clean air that Hamilton left him. Hamilton absolutely had this one in the bag before his car failed him.

Comments are closed.