I accounted for that – at least I think I did – I moved everyone up one place and re-added the points up, I even added the point for fastest lap to the second fastest driver for the two that Bottas got…

I had to fast forward through the highlights

Fell asleep a few times. Dull.

Yeah.  Just watched the highlights and that was a boring race….although it always is, I think.

although it always is, I think.

Hence having it as the last race to add jeopardy/give the drivers something to try for (but the championship is normally sorted by then…) and then tried the double points thing to guarantee it was settled there/the drivers were up for it.

I’d happily see it dropped but money ensures a shit racetrack keeps its place at all costs. Did any overtakes happen outside of DRS?

Agreed it doesn’t matter hire bad the track is off the money is good. Look at Monaco

Look at Monaco

Something tells me the money AD put up will make Monaco’s fee look like pocket money.

https://f1i.com/news/267302-monaco-pays-race-fee-low.html/amp

God that race was crap. Sack that circuit off IMO, along with Socchi and Barcelona.

I think Mercedes gave that one to Red Bull as a concellation prize.

Nursing engines – just why!? Not like they’ll be used again. Everything’s in the bag, just whack them up to full power and if they blow, they blow.

As others have said though, Abu Dhabi is as boring as hell. Not what was needed as a send off to a cracking season of racing.

Well don’t forget everyone expected the final race in Bahrain was meant to be dull. Several things made that one quite exciting. Don’t forget we were set to see Perez fight his way up the grid till his engine went pop, poor bugger.

Nursing engines – just why!? Not like they’ll be used again. Everything’s in the bag, just whack them up to full power and if they blow, they blow.

If Verstappen won and Bottas finished sixth, Verstappen would have taken second place. Also, it doesn’t make very convincing marketing if both your cars blow their engines.

Abu Dhabi is pretty much always a humdrum race. Proper calendars finish in Brazil or Japan 🙂

Anyway… bets on who’s in the Red Bull next year? Close call… I’d probably put a few pennies on Albon but not much more.

Other than that, I’m looking forward to seeing what McLaren come out of the blocks with next year. If they integrate the new engine well and get the aero right, could they be mixing with Mercedes and Red Bull? Three way title fight between Hamilton, Verstappen and Ricciardo? That would be something to look forward to 🙂

If they integrate the new engine well and play the aero right, could they be mixing with Mercedes and Red Bull?

I’d say unlikely as they have to use their tokens on the engine integration which will limit development elsewhere. Be nice if I’m wrong though.

Aero is free development, though, I think?

Aero is free development, though, I think?

Yup, but aero works in conjunction with things like suspension and if you can’t change that then it impacts what you can do.

Ted Kravitz on the ‘notebook’ after the race seemed to think Perez is going to RB, and Albon will be benched

Anyway… bets on who’s in the Red Bull next year? Close call… I’d probably put a few pennies on Albon but not much more.

According to Kravitz on his Notebook show on youtube we can expect an announcement from Red Bull over Albon being demoted to test driver and Perez in the seat. Presumably if Perez has the same problem with the Red Bull as Albon it gives them a chance to bring him back and keep the Thai backer happy.

Just went back to the first page of this thread to see how predictions worked out. Highly selective quotes follow:

bombjack
If Red Bull keeps Albon then expect him to beat Verstappen soundly, and many toys to be thrown out of the pram…. Renault to walk rather than spend cubic dollars developing tech that keeps getting banned…. But hey, theres 25 races!

scotroutes
Full Member
Would 2021 be the first season there are more races than cars?

andytherocketeer
I can see Max outscoring Albon in races where they both finish, but Albon outscoring overall due to consistency, and not getting involved in stupid mistakes that lead to DNFs.

hols2
Ferrari seem to have an excellent engine, two good drivers, and have sorted out their aerodynamic problems, but they just keep dropping the ball. I think they’ll improve next year, but it’s hard to see LeClerk and Vettel not having a falling out if the car is competitive…. Haas are so unpredictable that they could finish anywhere from fourth to last.

richmtb
It also puts Vettel in an interesting position.

Surely the guy with a 5 year contract in his pocket is the defacto No 1 driver.

shermer75
Free Member
I’d be surprised if they sign Vettel again

shermer75
Free Member
There’s a fair few drivers that could put in a considerably more consistent drive (the kind of consistency that they’ll need to win a constructors championship) at a whopping 90% discount as compared to Vettel including Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Ricciardo, Sainz and maybe even Perez. That said though, the day Ferrari start making rational decisions will also be the day when Formula 1 becomes a lot less interesting to watch lol

retro83
Free Member
Yep. Seb seems to need a very stable rear axle.

Bikingcatastrophe
Free Member
I suspect this will be a much closer, tighter season. It will depend on how competitive the cars are. I still maintain that Ferrari had the better (certainly faster) car for the first half of last season and Vettel messed it up.

Free Member
Verstappen’s contract for 2020-23 is indicative that Honda will commit to Red Bull beyond 2021.

Those predictions should be relabelled as mad guesses 🙂

Nah, just space out a variety of predictions through the first few pages- Hamilton will win; Verstappen will win, Albon stays; Albon goes…..then this time next year quote the accurate post.

Nah, just space out a variety of predictions through the first few pages- Hamilton will win; Verstappen will win, Albon stays; Albon goes…..then this time next year quote the accurate post.

Hamilton will win seems like a safe prediction.

Hamilton will win seems like a safe prediction.

Assuming he isn’t too badly affected by long COVID over the off-season…

long COVID

I know everyone is different, but I was positive 2 weeks ago. Had sniffles, cough, headache and occasional trouble getting a full lungful when breathing. He’s a lot younger and fitter than me so I doubt it was that bad. If it was o can’t see him being let near the car.

If it was o can’t see him being let near the car.

He looked knackered after the race, and said he wasn’t back to 100% and that it had really knocked him for six, sounds like he’s had a much tougher time of it than the Racing Point pair.

Serving them up HOT 🔥 Sending W11 into retirement with some fresh 🍩 🍩 🍩! #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/9FwcvCXXcq

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) December 13, 2020

The RB reply 👏

That’s brilliant, but isn’t it Aston Martin mocking themselves!?

Aston Martin Honda mocking Aston Martin Mercedes?

Well red bull have been known to burn their bridges in the past (Renault, for example) so I don’t see them worrying too much about annoying a sponsor who is leaving to become a direct competitor…

.
Someone spotted I had missed Hill/Prost at Williams in 1993, doh!
Turns out I had also missed Villeneurve and Alonso doing three races together at Renault in 2004.
Anyone else spot any others?