Monday 2 November 2009

Well if you’re part of the F1 circus, be it part of the FIA, one of the teams or some random celebrity wondering around in a bemused way. Then Yas marina is the greatest feat of motor racing circuit building ever and is just superb and lovely and great and wonderful and … a really really dull Herman Tilke track. It looks great, and has all the elements of a good track. But it’s just another race around the docks. Considering that only 2 cars dropped out of the race, the tracks looked empty for most of the race. I fell asleep at during the middle part of it once Hamilton stopped it was all over bar the shouting.

Button and Webber tried to make the last 10 laps interesting but once again, if the car in front doesn’t want to be passed then there isn’t much the car behind car do.

So Vettel wins a pretty easy race. Hamilton had nailed pole and looked set to drive off in to the distance. But then fate intervened when a rear brake problem meant he couldn’t drive away from Vettel and had to retire eventually. He looked, up to that point, like he had the circuit sorted, he was fast where it counted and smooth when he need to be. With nothing to really challenge the drivers he showed that talent and balls can still make a difference. Vettel get's a good win to end the season and can look forward to next year with a good car and a good team.

Vettel doesn’t really challenge other drivers, his wins have come after good pit work and a bit of luck. When Button was behind Webber he was ducking around trying to put Webber off line and snatch the place. Vettel, just sorts of sits back 1.5 seconds behind the leader and waits until he can pass in the pits. He’s blindingly fast when the cars underneath him, but he doesn’t fight for places. Still you have to be at the front to have a chance of winning and he’s done that this year, but for a little more reliability he could have been the new champion.

Webber, makes it the fourth Redbull 1-2 of the season. He’s still not going to win a world championship in my opinion. But he’s shown this year that he could come very close. He doesn’t have any luck, and he’s a bit feisty off the line. In Brazil, Germany and now here in Abu Dhabi, he tagged a driver on the first lap, defending a racing line or defending the corner, he always seems to be the one taking front wing end plates off other drivers. In Germany he got a drive through for waving around off the line but still won the race. Here he said he was expecting to hit Barrichello, suggesting that Barrichello is the one hitting him. Still he was there to pick up the pieces and considering that he had his legs rebuilt before the season had started, i think he can look back at this year and be proud of what he achieved.


The New World champion bring it home in third. Button get’s his moment of glory on the podium for the last race. I've not really got a lot to add to what i wrote last race, he's battled hard in a year when there were lots of winners. No one really dominated and Button took the opportunities when they presented themselves. He rode his luck and was consistent the two things that make a championship winning season. Also, once again, the driver that won the first race of the year, has won the world championship. Remember that next year, always worth a punt.

Barrichello up next in 4th, he's signed up for Williams for next year in what has to be his last year, He'll clear 300 GPs next year, that's some going. He has to be one of the factors in Brawns success this year. He's been around long enough to be able to dial a car into a circuit and make it work right out of the box. That's what has helped Button do the job this year. He wasn't fast enough when it counted but could string a win together when other came up short.

Heidfeld comes home 5th in a race he was apparently in. He's this weeks, "was he racing?" driver. The word on the street is he's going to go to McLaren next year, if Kimi insists on demanding a gazillion Euros for his services next year. He used to be Mercedes boy when he was in GP2 and was promised a seat at McLaren years ago. So i hope he gets the seat. I think he's a good consistent driver that could push Lewis.

Holy Moly if it isn't a new Favorite Japanese nutter. Kobayashi keeps it all together and pops up in 6th spot. Well done to him. He over took the new World Champion, in a pretty good move, then didn't fall asleep like Trulli normally does. Apparently he's got a seat with Toyota next year, which i think we can all agree is a good thing. Whilst nitwits like Alberkerky, Bodour and Grojean have turned up and failed utterly, Banzi Kobayashi has arrived and shown then what the word racing driver actually means. If Toyota can build a decent car next (or a car at all) then he could be something to spice up the racing next year. Defiantly the rookie of the year.

Trulli makes it to 7th, dull. HE didn't try and hit anyone this time.

8th for Buemi. not a bad result but not very exciting.

9th For Rosberg. He'll probably be in the Brawn next year and about time too. Williams was never going to deliver the results. Okay he went to sleep at the start of the season, but he just needs Brawn to knock him into shape and teach him how to win. Brawn did it to Button, he'll do it for Rosberg. Once again Williams started well but failed to deliver.

10th for Kubica who will be happy to have a seat with Renault next year, new start new team.


So the curtain comes down on the 2009. We’ve got a new team and a new name at the top of the heap. Brawn have done a great job this year after Honda pulled the plug hours before the season started. He picked the team up and took it all the way which has to feel pretty special for him. All those years he directed Schumacher to win after win at Ferrari, and now it's his name on the silverware.

It's been a good season, not much over taking granted, but you've never been sure who's going to be on pole, get the fastest lap or win. The top tens have been mixed up with no team dominating. let's hope it's more of the same next year ..... with a bit more over taking.

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