2014 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

[craigatm]

Great line from Lewis receiving the Beeb's best broadcaster award...

"Best broadcaster of the year? Oh, Hammertime...You know M.C. Hammer's following me on Twitter"!

 

[Robin]

David Coulthard pretending to be Keke Rosberg

 

[craigatm]

David Coulthard pretending to be Keke Rosberg

That had me in stitches!

 

[Ninners]

Scrappy laps from both Mercs there but very good times still.

 

[Peasantslayer]

The nerves might be getting to them and this is only Q1.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Grosjean qualifies 36th, good show.

 

[Robin]

Gosh the camera director is going to town on the wives / friends of the drivers.

 

[Ninners]

Mag and Button tied 9-9 in qualifying this season... who'll win?

 

[prisonermonkeys]

David Coulthard pretending to be Keke Rosberg

And then there's Brundle and Croft pretending to be actual journalists.

 

[Ninners]

Massa & Bottas on Nico's tail, however Nico had to abort his first lap. Lewis seems comfortable right now.

 

[Peasantslayer]

Not ideal for Rosberg, an extra lap on his race tyres, he was probably a bit steady on his second flier.

 

[MHPALA]

"Seriously"

 

[Touring Mars]

How can they wait until 5 minutes before the end of the session to do a run, and then send Jenson out without enough fuel...?!

 

[Ninners]

10-9 in favour of Button in qualifying in 2014.

 

[Peasantslayer]

Williams claim the best 1st and 2nd second sector in Q2.

 

[Legro]

Rosberg is having problems with both Williams cars.

 

[Ninners]

Rosberg is having problems with both Williams cars.

Ironic how he said he needed help from Massa... he ain't helping him out right now

 

[craigatm]

Ironic how he said he needed help from Massa... he ain't helping him out right now

I doubt it will stay that way. Once the two Mercedes have given it their all they should be comfortably in front. It seems to me they left something in reserve in Q2.

 

[Ninners]

I doubt it will stay that way. Once the two Mercedes have given it their all they should be comfortably in front. It seems to me they left something in reserve in Q2.

Yup. However on these first runs the Williams were on used tyres... Lewis made a mess of his final sector... Gonna be close.

 

[TenEightyOne]

How can they wait until 5 minutes before the end of the session to do a run, and then send Jenson out without enough fuel...?!

Because Sam Michael hasn't left yet, imo :\

 

[Peasantslayer]

Well done Nico.

 

[sems4arsenal]

Wow, wasn't even close.

 

[Legro]

Rosberg is having problems with both Williams cars.

I was so wrong on this one.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Lots of little errors from Hamilton. He's clearly over-driving the car when he doesn't need to.

 

[craigatm]

Great lap from Nico! But I imagine his elation will be short lived. Because as much as it pains me to say it, even if he drives the race of his life tomorrow, it might not be enough.

 

[Peasantslayer]

Still backing Lewis for the win after what we saw on the Friday and in most races, usually both guys on the front row have a fair chance of making it out of T1 first on this track.

 

[Lewis_Hamilton_]

Ricciardo out performing his car's abilities once again. Imagine him in a competitive car.

 

[Touring Mars]

The Williams are keeping Mercedes honest - once again it looked like Lewis was a bit rattled and Nico delivered a flawless lap when it mattered... but Lewis only needs to keep his nose clean tomorrow and the title should be his.

I wonder what will happen if Lewis finds himself all over the gearbox of Nico in the latter stages of the race when it is looking certain that Mercedes will finish 1-2... will Lewis bide his time and settle for 2nd, or push for the win - and what will the team say? It could get interesting, since settling for 2nd is not in Lewis's nature.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

It could get interesting, since settling for 2nd is not in Lewis's nature.

And that's his problem - he doesn't recognise the cards he has to play with. He is still taking it race by race.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

It's legality was questioned for many months before the FIA finally deemed it legal, by which point the team was already dominating. Like Mclaren's F-Duct was eventually deemed illegal so effectively it wasn't a level playing field for that season.

First off they weren't the only team running it and it was deemed bad because as @prisonermonkeys said they didn't come up with it. However, since Brawn didn't conceal their speed in winter testing teams were highly worried about how fast the car was with the double decker and decided to protest. Yet this is F1 and innovation is the goal as long as it doesn't becoming a moving aero device and since the DDD isn't moving it wasn't illegal and within the bounds.

I'm sure RBR would have loved if you were the deciding voice on this back then though.

As for Jenson, as I said before. If other certain WDC's past get to keep their seats with an even worse drive this year than him, so should he. He did better than his prodigy team mate and drove the car up to the larger points far more. And to be honest the car is a dog like the Ferrari and yet he pulled drive that people would claim amazing or godly if Alonso did them in the same car. Does he have the hit rate of an Alonso...not at all, but he is fast and reliable.