GO-SLOW TACTICS, A MYSTERY PUNCTURE AND TITLE DECIDERS
▶ Graham Caygill looks back at the nine Abu Dhabi GPs and picks out the best moments at Yas Marina Circuit
2012
The championship race was still alive, but Abu Dhabi was not the season finale, with two races to come afterwards, in the United States and Brazil.
The race had everything: crashes, overtaking, comeback drives, bad luck and a very popular winner, as Kimi Raikkonen took the chequered flag to give Lotus their first victory in F1 since 1987.
The Finn had gained the lead after pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton had stopped with mechanical problems as Raikkonen held on to win for the first time since August 2009.
There was plenty of excitement behind him too, as Sebastian Vettel came through the field to finish third, having started last due to a technical infringement in qualifying that saw his times disallowed.
Then with Red Bull Racing, the German had been helped
by safety car periods following two big crashes.
Excitement level 5/5 Memorable moment The ever-blunt Raikkonen telling his race engineer to leave him alone on the pit radio as “I know what I am doing”. 2016
One of the most bizarre races in F1 history as Hamilton won while driving as slowly as he physically dared.
Hamilton knew victory would not be enough for him to be crowned world champion given teammate Nico Rosberg only needed to finish third.
Hamilton slowed his pace to keep his frustrated Mercedes-GP teammate in the reach of the cars behind him, hoping one would overtake.
It didn’t work as Rosberg finished second to win his lone F1 drivers’ title. The German retired a week later. Excitement level 5/5 Memorable moment Mercedes chiefs begging Hamilton to speed up on the pit radio, and the Englishman ignoring them as he continued to frustrate Rosberg.
2010
The first time the world title was decided in Abu Dhabi and it proved to be one of the most memorable in the capital’s history. Four drivers were in contention going into the race – Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, Vettel and Hamilton.
It was Vettel, who had begun the day 15 points behind Alonso, who won the first of his four titles to become the sport’s youngest champion – a record he still holds.
Alonso became stuck behind slower traffic and could finish only seventh, ahead of Webber, while second was not enough for Hamilton. Excitement level 4/5 Memorable moment Vettel’s tearful reaction post race, highlighting what a special evening fans had witnessed.
2014
The second time the championship was decided in Abu Dhabi. It was an all-Mercedes duel as Hamilton took on teammate Rosberg with the added spice of double points on offer at Yas Marina.
It never sat well with the purists and was done away with after just one year, meaning the 2014 race in Yas Marina is the only one where the winner was awarded 50 points.
Hamilton needed to finish in the top two to be champion but once he took the lead at the start, he was always in charge, with mechanical issues ending Rosberg’s title hopes. Excitement level 3/5 Memorable moment Prince Harry on the pit radio post race to give Hamilton the British royal seal of approval.
2009
We did not know it at the time, but the first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the precursor to what would unfold over the next decade.
Hamilton v Vettel was the story of the weekend. Hamilton and McLaren were unstoppable in practice and in qualifying But Vettel and Red Bull were close behind throughout and the German took the lead during the first round of pitstops.
We were denied a thrilling finale, however, as brake problems sidelined Hamilton and the late drama came from Vettel’s teammate Webber, who held off newly crowned world champion Jenson Button to take second.
Excitement level 3/5 Memorable moment
Just seeing the cars on Yas Marina Circuit for the first time. A lot of work had gone into bringing F1 to the UAE. It was worth the wait.
2011
Vettel had already won his second title before arriving at Yas Marina but the German’s hopes of victory lasted just three corners until a puncture spun him out of the race.
Hamilton, who had suffered arguably the worst season of his career as he made a number of mistakes, picked up a welcome win as he held off the attentions of Alonso to prevail.
Most of the fun further down the field came from Webber as he made a three-stop strategy work to finish fourth after hitting problems earlier in the race.
Excitement level 3/5 Memorable moment Vettel’s opening lap puncture was a mystery at the time and remains one now, but it did open up the race when the German had been expected to dominate.
2015
This result turned out to be more important than many had realised.
Rosberg won the race ahead of Mercedes teammate Hamilton, who had already sealed the championship. But the German would later admit that
winning in Abu Dhabi helped boost his confidence over the winter and help build his belief for 2016 where he would go on and finally take the title.
It was fairly processional behind them, with Vettel coming through from the back of the field to finish an impressive fourth after Ferrari had botched their qualifying tactics. Excitement level 2/5 Memorable moment Not a classic. But Vettel gave a reminder of his ability with his charge through the field to take fourth
2013
Vettel was already champion going into the race and treated the Abu Dhabi fans to an awesome demonstration of his dominance, passing teammate Webber at the start and sailing away into the distance.
Most of the action came further down the field as Alonso had a busy afternoon on his way to finishing seventh, most notably having to run off track at high speed to avoid a collision with Jean-Eric Vergne’s Toro Rosso.
Excitement level 2/5 Memorable moment Alonso’s spectacular car control in handling a 28 G impact to his car as he ran off the road to avoid hitting Vergne.
2017
Hamilton had already been crowned a four-time world champion and his mind appeared to be elsewhere as he was content to sit behind teammate Valtteri Bottas for 55 laps.
Excitement level 2/5 Memorable moment The emotion of Bottas, who rarely shows any, after taking the chequered flag showed just how much winning meant to him.