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This Sunday
marks the end of a very unusual season of Formula 1 grands
prix, characterised by significant technical regulation
changes which in turn led to a new order, with the more
established teams, including Scuderia Ferrari, having to
make way for new names at the top of the classifications.
While both championships were decided a fortnight ago in
Brazil, this still promises to be a very interesting
weekend, as it takes place at the brand new Yas Marina
circuit, a facility which even makes some of the more recent
additions to the calendar look slightly dated.
The Abu Dhabi
Grand Prix is a special weekend for Ferrari, as the
Maranello company has several strong links to this event:
Mubadala is the investment company of the government of Abu
Dhabi, a shareholder in the company and a sponsor of the
team. Another team sponsor, Etihad, is also the title
sponsor of this race. Additionally, the Yas Marina circuit
is located on the same island that is home to the Ferrari
World Abu Dhabi theme park. It is due to have its official
opening next year and this coming Thursday at 10.30, Ferrari
S.p.A. vice-president, Piero Ferrari will attend a press
conference, when the roof of the park will be unveiled,
featuring a large Prancing Horse logo. Interest in Ferrari
and the Scuderia is already very high in the Gulf and on
Wednesday afternoon, both Kimi Raikkonen and Giancarlo
Fisichella will be in neighbouring Dubai, for the official
opening of a new Ferrari store, which will be the largest of
all the Ferrari stores in the world.
The track itself
is interesting and unusual, starting with a couple of fast
corners, with very slow turns leading into two very fast
straights, followed by a twistier section, which is very
reminiscent of the Singapore track. Finding the correct
balance for the car will therefore not be a straightforward
task. Although this circuit is near the sea, sand on the
track surface asphalt – which incidentally is provided by
Ferrari partner Shell – could also cause problems, in terms
of its affect on grip and on the need to protect components
from its abrasive properties, especially on Friday, when
cars take to the track for first practice and it will also
depend on what the wind is doing at the time. KERS should be
very useful here, given the track layout features fast
straights following on from slow corners, which is the
typical scenario where a power boost can give a significant
advantage. Although it does not present a specific technical
difficulty, the pit lane is certainly interesting and
innovative as it include a tunnel that takes cars from one
side of the track to the other, as the entrance is on the
right hand side and the exit on the left.
After Singapore,
this will be the second race to be run under floodlights.
The local start time of 5pm means that approximately the
first forty minutes should take place in daylight, however
any risk of the drivers being dazzled by the setting sun
will be counteracted by the artificial lighting. This three
hour delay compared to a normal Grand Prix start also means
that the intense heat, with temperatures in the mid-thirties
and a high level of humidity in the middle of the day,
should also be less of a problem, while for the mechanics,
working conditions will be helped by the fact that the
garages are air-conditioned.
As has been the
case throughout this fascinating season, tyres will play a
key role and in Abu Dhabi, teams will have a choice of
Bridgestone’s soft and medium rubber, marking a return to
the use of two adjacent compounds. While it is fair to say
that the F60 is no longer an obvious candidate to produce a
race win, those who like to bet based on happenstance might
wish to consider that this tyre combination is the same as
that available in Spa and Monza, where Ferrari took a win
and a third place respectively. However, this should not be
seen as any sort of guarantee of success.
The Bahrain
Grand Prix has featured on the calendar for six years now
and this additional Middle East race means that interest in
Formula 1 and motor sport in general is growing in this part
of the world, as proven by the fact that all tickets are
already sold out. This will also be a special end of season
for both drivers, as Kimi Raikkonen is leaving the team
after three years and Giancarlo Fisichella will take on the
role of official test and reserve driver for the Scuderia
after this weekend. The Italian experienced the Yas Marina
circuit on the simulator last week and his avowed aim will
be to end his short stint as a Ferrari race driver in the
points, because although the titles are decided, the team is
still determined to end the year third in the Constructors’
classification, in which it currently stands fourth, one
point behind McLaren.
ItaliaspeedTV:
Scuderia Ferrari Abu Dhabi
Grand Prix preview with Stefano Domenicali
/ (versione Italiana)
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