Seb: “This is obviously going to be a very emotional weekend as my Grand Prix career draws to a close. I am sure that this race will bring back plenty of happy memories from the last 15 years, and I want to enjoy my last race with the team and with everyone I have met during my time in the sport.It has been a fantastic two years with Aston Martin F1, with lots of fun moments and some great memories.I want to go out on a high, so we will go and fight hard and deliver a great result at the circuit where I secured my first world title, 12 years ago.”
Lance: “The track revisions have made it a little easier to overtake, and we also have cars that promote closer racing. With the new layout, hopefully we can perform well and end this year with another positive result. I also want to pay tribute to Sebastian ahead of his final Grand Prix. He has been a fantastic team-mate over the last two years, a brilliant person to work with, a man from whom I have learned a lot about both racing and life. I wish the best future for him and his family.”
Insight and Speed with Cognizant
Overtaking: The re-profiled corners have changed the dynamic of how a race can play out here in terms of overtaking, and these ground-effect cars are set to take that a step further again this year. Eighty percent of all passes take place at the end of the two long DRS zones – the runs down to Turns Six and Nine.
Strategy: Pirelli brings the softest three compounds to the finale. Despite the softness of the tires and the characteristics of the circuit, tire wear has traditionally not been particularly high here. However, wear has increased in 2022, and easier overtaking may promote additional pit stops in the race.
Safety Cars: In its earlier years, there were not many Safety Cars in Abu Dhabi but the frequency has picked up somewhat as time has gone on. The past four races have featured three Safety Cars and three VSCs between them, so there is an increasing chance of an interruption altering the outcome of the race.
Unlocking the Lap
The first big change made to the circuit for 2021 was to what is now Turn Five. This is now a hairpin that really promotes overtaking. A lunge down the inside is possible, but this then can compromise the exit which leads onto the 1.2-kilometre back straight. Getting this right is pivotal to lap time in qualifying.
At the end of the second DRS zone is the reprofiled Turn Nine. Long and banked, it may be possible to run side-by-side through the corner, although this is tricky and it is easy to run wide on the exit, which is detrimental to lap-time. Keeping the tires in the temperature window is important for the next sequence.
One of the trickiest corners on the circuit is Turn 12. This has caught many drivers out over the years. Cars are still loaded through Turn 11 as drivers line the turn up before braking. But this sets up the next two corners under the Yas Viceroy Hotel. Braver drivers can catch others off guard and make a move down the inside here.
