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Natalie Le Clue
It seems like yesterday that we were all waking up in the early hours of the morning for the first free practice session in Australia. Unbelievably, another year of racing has flown by and here we are at the final race of the season.
This weekend the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi, the only new addition to this year’s F1 calendar - but what an addition it promises to be. Designed by Herman Tilke, the track required a total of 35 million man hours to be completed. Tilke is also responsible for the Turkish, Malaysian and Bahraini racing tracks, to name but a few.
The Yas Marina track is a sight to behold and boasts many firsts for F1. As Singapore has laid claim to F1’s only night race, Abu Dhabi has taken that feature it a step further in that the race will start in daylight and end at night under floodlights.
One of the most unique features of the circuit is the underground pitlane exit. The drivers will descend into a tunnel that turns 90 degrees left and runs underneath the track after Turn 1. It also boasts the longest straight on the calendar at 1.2km and should the drivers find themselves having to make use of the escape road at the end of the straight, the run-off area extends underneath the West Grandstand!
The layout of the track looks to be an exciting one to the naked eye at least. With 21 corners in total, the Abu Dhabi circuit looks to be a mixture of some of Tilke’s other designs. In particular, Turns 11, 12 and 13 resemble the Turn 10 chicane in Singapore, although a bit more elongated.
Another characteristic that has been lacking at other so-called modern race tracks, but is evident at Abu Dhabi, is the definite lack of any major run-off areas. As in Monaco and Suzuka, the distinct lack of massive expanses of tarmac on the exit of corners means that if the driver makes a mistake he will pay the price – exactly the way it should be in Formula One.
Car set-up around the Yas Marina circuit will require downforce settings to be on the "higher side" of the spectrum while still making allowances for the long straights. Regarding the complex of Turns 5 to 7 and 11 to 13, they will require the car set-up to me more focused on traction. Overtaking at the track is not impossible, but due to the track being extremely dirty off the racing-line, it may be somewhat limited. That being said this is the final race of the season and drivers will definitely have more of a licence to take a few risks.
This weekend’s race will be the final time F1 strategists and drivers will have to consider fuel strategies for race day as from 2010 re-fuelling will be banned.
There will also be a few ‘goodbyes’ this weekend as Kimi Raikkonen and Giancarlo Fisichella will be competing in their final races for Ferrari while Fernando Alonso will be bidding Renault farewell. BMW may well competing in their final F1 race as the team's future remains uncertain. This weekend will also be the last time we’ll see only 10 teams contesting the championship as the grid is set to swell with several teams joining in 2010.
This is it; what a season it has been and what a spectacular venue to send us off into the winter off-season and into preparation for 2010. Bring on Abu Dhabi!
Jenson Button in action during the first practice session ahead of the Abu Dhabi GP (AP)
