Top three in Abu Dhabi qualifying

The FIA has released the Abu Dhabi GP post qualifying weights. Lewis Hamilton is lighter than the 2 Red Bull cars behind him on the grid but will probably stop on the same lap as Mark Webber and perhaps only a lap earlier than Vettel. The lightest car on the grid is Robert Kubica. The heaviest among the top ten is Nico Rosberg but he still only has about 2 laps worth of fuel more than Hamilton.

There are some very heavy cars at the back of the grid, especially Kazuki Nakajima and both Renaults.

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Lewis Hamitlon at Abu Dhabi track

Lewis Hamilton will start the final race of 2009 from pole position after dominating the Abu Dhabi qualifying. Sebastian Vettel will line up next to Hamilton on the front row. Webber and Barrichello will form row 2, Button and Trulli row 3.

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And this is it. The 2009 Formula One season will conclude this weekend in Abu Dhabi. The final round of 2009 prediction game is here.

As usual you can wait till the last moment before the qualifying or make your prediction right away to make sure you do not miss the round (and change your prediction later if you feel like doing that). But do remember, the deadline is the start of the Saturday qualifying session !. The qualifying begins on Saturday, 5pm Abu Dhabi time. So, go ahead and make your prediction for the pole position, fastest lap and top eight finishers in the comments below this post.

Do not forget that Timo Glock will not race in Abu Dhabi due to his injury. Kamui Kobayashi will take his place again.

The results of round 17 and final results of the 2009 prediction game will be published on Monday after the race.

Good luck !

Kimi, Fisi and Heikki

The Abu Dhabi GP is the last race of 2009 Formula One season. It is also the last race we will see in F1 … Here is the list:

1) Refueling

The ban on refueling will come to effect in 2010 season and so the Abu Dhabi is the last chance (for a while at least) to watch the refueling pit stops, strategies based on fuel loads as well as race fuel qualifying (in Q3). Well, and this will be the last time waiting for FIA to publish the post qualifying weights.

2) KERS

KERS only arrived this season but it will not return in 2010. The technology is likely to make comeback in not too distant future but for a time being Abu Dhabi GP is the last F1 race featuring KERS.

3) Drivers in their current teams

The Abu Dhabi GP will be the last opportunity (unless the drivers return in the future) to see Kimi Raikkonen in Ferrari, Fernando Alonso in Renault, Robert Kubica in the team currently known as BMW Sauber.

While nothing has been confirmed yet it is also possible (and in some cases very likely) that we will not see again Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima in Williams, Jarno Trulli or Timo Glock (will not be racing in Abu Dhabi) or both in Toyota, Rubens Barrichello in Brawn GP, Romain Grosjean in Renault, Heikki Kovalainen in McLaren…

4) Drivers racing

Giancarlo Fisichella may have a contract with Ferrari for next year and beyond but only as a test driver. So unless he is called in to stand in for the regular drivers Abu Dhabi may be Fisi’s farewell F1 race. He may be joined by some other drivers who are on the way out of their current teams …

5) BMW

BMW has decided to end its involvement in Formula One, Abu Dhabi GP will be the farewell F1 race for the Munich based manufacturer. And as the team currently has no place on 2010 grid it is also possible that this will be the last appearance of the Hinwil based F1 operation …

6) Engine deals

BMW engines will disappear following the BMWs withdrawal from F1. Williams has ended the deal with Toyota, this will be the last race of Toyota powered Williams car. (There has also been talk about Red Bull switching from Renault to someone else but nothing has been confirmed yet.)

7) 20 cars grid

Following the change of the regulations and entry of several new teams – Manor, Campos Meta, USF1, Lotus (provided they all show up in Bahrain next March) – the Abu Dhabi GP may be the last one for a while featuring only 10 teams and 20 cars.

Formula One will move to Abu Dhabi – the only new on track on the calendar – for the 2009 season finale. This post brings you a video introduction of the Yas Marina Circuit, onboard lap with Bruno Senna (in double seater F1 car), track map and a photogallery from this new F1 circuit.

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Both 2009 Formula One championships were decided yesterday in Brazil, Jenson Button and Brawn GP can celebrate their titles. The prediction game however still has one more round to go. The winners of the penultimate round are nieuwe and Kotenok with 18 points, Ozzi keeps the provisional lead.

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Jenson Button clinched yesterday his first F1 title after one very determined drive. Here are few pictures from the 2009 Brazilian GP and the title celebration that followed. (Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the images).

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Jenson Button - 2009 Formula One champion

Mark Webber won the 2009 Brazilian GP ahead of Robert Kubica, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. Jenson Button climbed from 14th to 5th after pulling off several overtaking maneuvres. Button secured the 2009 Formula One championship with a race to spare. The title was decided in Brazil for the 5th time in a row …

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Sebastian Vettel - heaviest car on the grid

Post qualifying weight released by FIA reveal that pole setter Rubens Barrichello will start the Brazilian GP with the lightest fuel load, about 3 laps lighter than Webber and Sutil behind him. The heaviest among top ten is Kazuki Nakajima (P9). Sebastian Vettel shares with Giancarlo Fisichella the honours of having the heaviest car on the grid. The bad news for him are those rather light KERS powered McLarens behind him.

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2009 Brazilian GP

Rubens Barrichello will start the 2009 Brazilian GP from pole position. Mark Webber will line up next to him on the front row. The championship leader Jenson Button managed only P14, Sebastian Vettel P16. It will be interesting race on Sunday …

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Fernando Alonso - Fastest in the afternoon practice

The Brazilian GP weekend started yesterday with the Friday practice sessions. Although as as always it is difficult to make any conclusions from Friday times the indications are that Red Bull has arrived in Brazil with a strong package. But so did Brawn GP … But closer look at the practice 2 times reveals that all cars were separated with less than 1 second. The qualifying may bring some surprises …

The latest weather forecasts suggest both Saturday practice and qualifying may be affected by rain.

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Formula One moves to Brazil for the penultimate round of 2009 F1 Championship. It promises to be yet another unpredictable race that may well be spiced up by possible rain. Both drivers and constructors championships can be decided this weekend. The same can’t be said about our prediction game, there still a lot to play for. It’s time to make predictions for the Brazilian GP !

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