Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Preview
Just 20 points (that’s less than 1 win!) separate the top 4 as we head into the final 3 races of the season. The top 7 remain in the fight for the Championship however, and it could be any of them that win!
Jamie Franklin (Lotus) still leads, but it is now only by a measly 2 points after some poor performances in recent races. 8th in Korea and 9th in India has allowed the rest of the pack to obliterate his lead.
Bradley Downton (Lotus), Franklin’s teammate leads the chase after a run of 5 successive podiums, including two wins. Having not finished out of the top 2 in the last four races, he very much looks the man in form.
William Ingram (McLaren) is 9 points off the Championship lead as we head to Abu Dhabi. Two third places and a fourth in the last three races has been consistent but not enough if he want to fight for this Championship come Brazil, especially having been on pole for 2 of them!
Johnny Kingshark (Red Bull) is the last man within a win of the Championship leader. Some consistent but not strong results have seen him keep pace with the lead three but not really make up ground. If he can re-discover his form from Germany to Singapore however, he could be well in with a shout should the leaders slip up.
Felipe Bomeny (Ferrari) lies fifth in the Championship, purely on the merit of how many races he’s finished. With just 1 win and two other podiums this year, it’s clear he’s struggled to keep pace with the leaders in the poor Ferrari. Regularly finishing 4th to 6th however, he’s lurking to pick up the pieces should the leaders fail. Bomeny is 38 points off of the lead.
Hollis Graham (Red Bull) looked out of the fight as we headed to India, but a win that took the entire paddock by surprise (because no-one noticed he’d overtaken Ingram and Downton and actually won the race!) has cast him right back in, meaning he’s now only 40 points behind Franklin. With some more problems for the guys in front, and another win, Graham will be solidly back in the fight.
Robert Mathershaw (Ferrari) is in pretty much the same situation as Graham was come India. 65 points behind with just 75 up for grabs leaves him as the last man with a shot at the title, it’s a very slim chance though, but this is the RFCG, so I wouldn’t be surprised.
Round 18 takes us to Abu Dhabi, where the entire weekend is expected to be dry and warm (if it’s not the Caterham men will surely throw a wobbly!) much to the relief of the Championship contenders. There’s more for them to worry about here than just each other though.
While Lotus, Red Bull and Ferrari (kind of) still have both drivers left in the fight, the fact that Widger has been eliminated for McLaren surely means he will do his utmost to assist his teammate to take the crown.
Sauber have also been strong in recent races and with a string of 7 consecutive points finishes, including two wins and a third they could surely be thorns in the sides of the Championship Challengers.
As we head to Abu Dhabi though, anyone could throw a surprise (maybe even Caterham could intervene in the outcome of the title?) I’m not going to pretend I know what’s coming, because I have no idea. But this, is crunch time.
3 Races to go.
7 Drivers in with a shot of the title.
Game on!
Laps: 55
Chance of Rain: 5%
Favorite Tracks: Armos (Force India), Needham (Toro Rosso), Cucamest (Toro Rosso), Sunderland (Caterham)
Weather Report
Free Practice 1: Dry
Free Practice 2: Dry
Qualifying: Dry
Race: Dry
