أرشيف وسم ‘ Abu Dhabi ’

Posted on Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Wehrlein fastest as Abu Dhabi test ends

Mercedes reserve driver Pascal Wehrlein set the pace as the 2014 season concluded at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. Wehrlein, sampling the title-winning Mercedes W05 Hybrid for the first time, posted a time of 1:42.624 during the afternoon session to trump Valtteri Bottas's lap from Tuesday's test day. Wehrlein, 20, has raced for Mercedes in DTM this year and was confirmed as the squad’s reserve driver in Formula 1 in September, having conducted 30 days in the team’s simulator. He also racked up […]

Posted on Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Bottas tops first day in Abu Dhabi

Williams driver Valtteri Bottas topped the first day of post-season testing at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. Bottas, who finished on the podium in last weekend’s race, set a time of 1:43.396 in the Williams FW36, almost half a second quicker than compatriot Kimi Raikkonen. Nico Rosberg returned to his Mercedes W05 Hybrid after missing out on the 2014 title and set the third quickest time. He was also the most productive runner, having conducted 114 laps. Newly crowned GP2 Champion Jolyon Palmer […]

Posted on Thursday, November 20, 2014

Yas Marina Circuit extends F1 contract

Organisers of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix have confirmed that the race will continue beyond its current contract. The Yas Marina Circuit joined the calendar in 2009 and will host this weekend's season finale. Its original deal ended in 2016 but the circuit has not confirmed that a new contract has been signed. "This race and the Yas Marina Circuit has introduced Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates to tens of millions of visitors and TV viewers from around the world," said Khaldoon Khalifa […]

Posted on Monday, November 17, 2014

Sainz Jr to test for Red Bull

Carlos Sainz Jr will test for Red Bull in Abu Dhabi as his prize for winning this year's Formula Renault 3.5 Series. Sainz Jr, 20, became the first Red Bull-backed driver to win the crown and will drive the RB10 on the first day of the post-season test next Tuesday. Sainz Jr undertook a demonstration run for Red Bull in the RB8 mid-season and also tested the RB9 during the young driver test in 2013. Sainz Jr is one of the candidates for the vacant […]

Posted on Friday, September 19, 2014

Ecclestone admits 'double points' could go

Bernie Ecclestone has admitted his 'double points' innovation may be axed after the 2014 finale. This year, in a bid to keep the championship alive until the dying moment, F1 will allocate double points in the Abu Dhabi finale. But the scheme has been controversial and almost universally criticised, prompting F1's chief executive to admit it may fall by the wayside. "I wanted it to be for the last three races," he said in Singapore, "but everyone said I was mad, so we won't do […]

Posted on Friday, March 7, 2014

Pirelli reveals 2014 tyre test schedule

Formula 1 tyre supplier Pirelli has revealed its schedule of which days teams will devote solely to tyre testing. Each team must dedicate one of their test days to tyre work with the company. In-season testing returns in 2014, with Bahrain, Spain and Britain hosting two-day tests following their respective Formula 1 race. The final test of the year will take place after the season finale in Abu Dhabi. 'Each team will have to devote one day of testing this year to tyres for 2015, […]

Posted on Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Opinion: Improving the 'double points' situation

The introduction of double points for the final round of a Formula 1 season was met with universal backlash from fans of the sport. It was the answer to a question which no-one had posed.

Posted on Friday, January 3, 2014

Pic joins Campos for GP2 season

Arthur Pic will make his GP2 debut this year for series returnees Campos Racing. Pic, younger brother of F1 racer Charles, has spent three seasons in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series and finished in eighth place last year. Pic tested for ART in Abu Dhabi at the end of 2013 but will race for Campos. Campos participated in GP2 between 2005 and 2008 and returns to the series this year having taken over the entry held by Addax. "We followed him closely and his future […]

Posted on Sunday, December 22, 2013

Ecclestone wants three 'double points' races

The days of the highly controversial new 'double points' rule for the season finale appear numbered. Many fans and drivers have made clear they are not happy with the change, designed to keep the title alive right to the end by offering twice as many points in Abu Dhabi next November. "I think it's wrong," Toro Rosso driver Jean-Eric Vergne told Italy's Corriere dello Sport, "because it devalues the work a driver has done throughout the whole season. "As drivers we are not excited about […]

Posted on Friday, December 20, 2013

Double points could be scrapped, says Montezemolo

Formula One's decision to award double points at the last race of the season could be scrapped after next year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, if not before, according to Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo. The Italian told reporters attending a Christmas lunch at the Fiorano test track that he was no fan of the controversial rule change that has got fans up in arms and been branded 'absurd' by Red Bull's world champion Sebastian Vettel. "I am not enthusiastic about it, because for me it […]

Posted on Friday, December 20, 2013

UK broadcasters reveal 2014 plans

BBC Sport and Sky Sports have revealed their plans for the 2014 Formula 1 season. Sky Sports will show all 19 Formula 1 races live, while BBC Sport will show nine live, with highlights of the remaining 10 events. BBC Sport will show the races from Malaysia, Spain, Canada, Britain, Belgium, Italy, Japan, Russia and Abu Dhabi live. "It has been another great year for F1 on the BBC. We’re now very much looking forward to 2014 and feel we have a strong package for […]

Posted on Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Irvine labels double points rule as 'insanity'

Former Formula 1 driver Eddie Irvine has criticised the sport following the decision to award double points for the final round of the season. Under the new sporting regulations, the final round of the season will count for double points, meaning that 50 points will be awarded to the winner of next year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, rather than the usual 25. Irvine raced for Jordan, Ferrari and Jaguar in a career spanning a decade, finishing as runner-up to Mika Hakkinen in 1999. "I think […]