Grand Prix thread ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX 2025

[ched999uk]

Last race of the year and what a way to finish - one of 3 drivers will end up as World Champion but who will it be?
I was tempted to have the poll as who will win the championship.

58 laps of the 5.281km Yas Marina Circuit

5th December Practice 1 09:30 - 10:30
5th December Practice 2 13:00 - 14:00
6th December Practice 3 10:30 - 11:30
6th December Qualifying 14:00 - 15:00
7th December Race 13:00 - 14:00

All times are UK times

Poll closes before Quali.

 

[Sportista]

Seems like a good time to thank you for doing these each race Ched999uk

Most likely Lando cruises to the win, but I’m hoping for the most entertaining scenario - Lando is spun / knocks his front wing off on the first lap, Piastri and Verstappen fight to win the race and the Championship, whilst Norris fights back through the field chasing the 3rd - 5th place that would steal it back off them.

 

[Sportista]

I think this happened last year too, but it’s really cool to see the Leclerc brothers together in Ferrari’s during a session - just imagine what it must be like for their parents!

 

[Number 1 Jasper]

I think this happened last year too, but it’s really cool to see the Leclerc brothers together in Ferrari’s during a session - just imagine what it must be like for their parents!

Their Mum .
Their Dad passed away .

From Wiki .

Hervé died after a long illness, aged 54, four days before Leclerc won the feature race at the 2017 Baku Formula 2 round.[10][5] Prior to his death, Leclerc lied to his father that he had signed a Formula One contract for the 2018 season;[11] he signed with Sauberlater that year.[12] His older maternal half-brother, Lorenzo Tolotta-Leclerc, was best friends with Jules Bianchi, who was Leclerc's godfather until his death in 2015 and his mechanic in kart racing.[13][8] His younger brother, Arthur, is also a racing driver who has competed in open-wheel and sportscar racing, winning the Formula Regional Asian Championship in 2022.[14]

 

[Number 1 Jasper]

Seems like a good time to thank you for doing these each race Ched999uk

Most likely Lando cruises to the win, but I’m hoping for the most entertaining scenario - Lando is spun / knocks his front wing off on the first lap, Piastri and Verstappen fight to win the race and the Championship, whilst Norris fights back through the field chasing the 3rd - 5th place that would steal it back off them.

Seconded .

 

[Sportista]

Their Mum .
Their Dad passed away .

From Wiki .

Hervé died after a long illness, aged 54, four days before Leclerc won the feature race at the 2017 Baku Formula 2 round.[10][5] Prior to his death, Leclerc lied to his father that he had signed a Formula One contract for the 2018 season;[11] he signed with Sauberlater that year.[12] His older maternal half-brother, Lorenzo Tolotta-Leclerc, was best friends with Jules Bianchi, who was Leclerc's godfather until his death in 2015 and his mechanic in kart racing.[13][8] His younger brother, Arthur, is also a racing driver who has competed in open-wheel and sportscar racing, winning the Formula Regional Asian Championship in 2022.[14]

Thanks - that’s sad - didn’t realise.

 

[ched999uk]

I was intending to watch FP2 this afternoon but I spent the afternoon in A&E after getting bitten by a dog on my middle finger!!!
What a performance, x rays, tetanus, plastic surgeons reviewing ....

Anyway looking forward to quali and the race.

 

[Number 1 Jasper]

I was intending to watch FP2 this afternoon but I spent the afternoon in A&E after getting bitten by a dog on my middle finger!!!
What a performance, x rays, tetanus, plastic surgeons reviewing ....

Anyway looking forward to quali and the race.

Ouch Ched .

plastic surgeons involved

 

[ched999uk]

Ouch Ched .

plastic surgeons involved

It's not bad but waiting to hear from the plastic surgeons (they sent xrays and photos) but I think it should be fine. It's only really a deep puncture but they need to check for tendon damage!

 

[Sportista]

I was intending to watch FP2 this afternoon but I spent the afternoon in A&E after getting bitten by a dog on my middle finger!!!
What a performance, x rays, tetanus, plastic surgeons reviewing ....

Anyway looking forward to quali and the race.

Argh… good excuse to put your feet up and enjoy the GP this weekend, though. Hope it heals well.

 

[ched999uk]

Argh… good excuse to put your feet up and enjoy the GP this weekend, though. Hope it heals well.

Cheers, only snag is no beer due to antibiotics!

 

[ched999uk]

Red Bull seem to be running very low in quali - skid plate leaving lots of marks and they are only running low fuel!! I wonder how they don't wear below the limits when on full fuel in the race! Maybe they have found a trick way to protect the wear points?

 

[Sportista]

Red Bull seem to be running very low in quali - skid plate leaving lots of marks and they are only running low fuel!! I wonder how they don't wear below the limits when on full fuel in the race! Maybe they have found a trick way to protect the wear points?

I think, the wear really comes from the rubbing along the ground at the end of the straights. In the race they’re going slower, so the downforce is less which more than makes up for the extra weight.

 

[Sportista]

So, if you’re RedBull and Max and Lando come through the first lap unscathed - you need to create chaos - how do you do that? I guess Max has to repeat Hamilton’s 2016 antics, and RedBull pit Tsunoda really early? Then see what you can do from there…

 

[Justjazz]

I think, the wear really comes from the rubbing along the ground at the end of the straights. In the race they’re going slower, so the downforce is less which more than makes up for the extra weight.

But he won't get the benefit of reduced downforce from DRS till he starts lapping.
I can't deny I admire Vetstappen for his skill but he still is not my favourite driver. But not sure who is my favourite, the post is still open.

 

[Sportista]

But he won't get the benefit of reduced downforce from DRS till he starts lapping.
I can't deny I admire Vetstappen for his skill but he still is not my favourite driver. But not sure who is my favourite, the post is still open.

I don’t mean from DRS, I just mean peak downforce with the wing closed will be lower because top speeds are lower. It’s why you see Ferrari lifting and coasting to protect the plank and McLaren doing the same in Vegas. The other thing is that the spring rate won’t be linear, so that last fraction of movement will be set up to require huge force - as a result small changes will make critical differences to the ride height between “ok” and “not ok”.

If you’re looking for a favourite driver, I highly recommend joining the Carlos Sainz fan club - Fast, interesting, intelligent, drives for Williams so any future success also implies they’re progressing; honestly there’s no downside!

 

[Julius Caesar]

So, if you’re RedBull and Max and Lando come through the first lap unscathed - you need to create chaos - how do you do that? I guess Max has to repeat Hamilton’s 2016 antics, and RedBull pit Tsunoda really early? Then see what you can do from there…

Theoretically that shouldn't work because McLaren can undercut with Piastri.

Whether McLaren are decisive enough to split strategies though...

 

[Justjazz]

I don’t mean from DRS, I just mean peak downforce with the wing closed will be lower because top speeds are lower. It’s why you see Ferrari lifting and coasting to protect the plank and McLaren doing the same in Vegas. The other thing is that the spring rate won’t be linear, so that last fraction of movement will be set up to require huge force - as a result small changes will make critical differences to the ride height between “ok” and “not ok”.

If you’re looking for a favourite driver, I highly recommend joining the Carlos Sainz fan club - Fast, interesting, intelligent, drives for Williams so any future success also implies they’re progressing; honestly there’s no downside!

I am already a Sainz fan. I felt Ferrari should have kept him. He is certainly on the short list. There are some young new talents too.

 

[ched999uk]

Theoretically that shouldn't work because McLaren can undercut with Piastri.

Whether McLaren are decisive enough to split strategies though...

I think someone on the commentary said Piastri had a slimmer wing in quali (so race too) than Lando. So McL are splitting strat to a degree.

 

[DHCanary]

Piastri has to beat Max for his own title hopes, and Piastri ahead of Max also helps Lando. If Max is backing the pack up to try and push McLaren's into traffic, then Piastri should undercut.

Lando just needs to sit behind Max and follow his strategy move for move. No point doing anything differently.