2023 Abu Dhabi GP race thread

[jgonzalesm6]

Okay

I could go on and on about Ferrari and it's drivers screwing the season as well as Mercedes and it's drivers.

It all came down to the final race here. First and foremost, Sainz had a bad strategy from the get go. Yes, he crashed during FP and probably would have had more time on the track for setup. Why did Ferrari pit Sainz so early on the hards? He probably could have gone 10 more laps. Then throughout the race Ferrari was leading in the constructors and so was Mercedes....it was back and forth. Then, Ferrari decided that there would have been a possibility of a SC....which didn't happen. Then, Ferrari decided to pit Sainz on lap 57 (there are 58 laps in this race) for what?

Give it to Leclerc for having a phenomenal race. Then letting Perez go by because of Perez's 5sec penalty so that way Russell wouldn't get the extra points needed which unfortunately didn't work out but MAN, THINKING LIKE THAT ON THE FLY DOING 200MPH FOR THE TEAM without the team coming up with the idea is stellar. This should solidify Leclerc as the #1 priority.

Ferrari has a long way to go if it wants to be number 1. Just 3 points separated Ferrari vs. Mercedes from P2 in the constructor and it really boiled down to this race. Mercedes won the P2 fight.

[stasera]

I gave my vote to charles for DOD. Finally seeing him ahead of Sainz despite of his more DNFs

Leclerc is the man who can be 1st driver of the team. and he demonstrated this. he was behind despite more DNFs, they said we look at Driver standings. and now they can look at it. more dnf, more ahead.

[wisepie]

Nice to see Charles end the season with fighting spirit, he did all he could to get Ferrari P2 in the Constructors but it wasn't to be, Carlos' lacklustre weekend made things worse and at least Charles finished P5 in the Drivers standings after a season which has been up and down all year. The last few weeks have been manic for teams and drivers and they deserve a rest, as do we who have endured yet another disappointing season. Charles ended his season showing why he is so important to the team.

[Greig]

Then, Ferrari decided to pit Sainz on lap 57 (there are 58 laps in this race) for what?

Because he has to use 2 compounds, not just hards.

[Brembo]

Max Perez and "CARLOS" the only other driver to get a win out of R Bull!!! Too bad Merc took 2nd WCC .

[jgonzalesm6]

Because he has to use 2 compounds, not just hards.

But on lap 57? Did he even come back out?

Ferrari should have pitted Sainz way way earlier in the race instead of-->"Ok, we are waiting for a safety car. Everything looking good."

They should have put mediums on Sainz or softs....whichever was available.

[Alonsomaniac]

Max Perez and "CARLOS" the only other driver to get a win out of R Bull!!! Too bad Merc took 2nd WCC .

We could have had that 2nd place if only "CARLOS" hadn't screwed up this weekend. This was the moment to get it, Charles did everything to accomplish that but he was alone.

[Rishu]

But on lap 57? Did he even come back out?

Ferrari should have pitted Sainz way way earlier in the race instead of-->"Ok, we are waiting for a safety car. Everything looking good."

They should have put mediums on Sainz or softs....whichever was available.

Carlos didn't have pace to climb up back, Ferrari had to gamble on SC. Going Hard-Medium would've been way too risky in a hope to wait for SC till the last moment

[jgonzalesm6]

Carlos didn't have pace to climb up back, Ferrari had to gamble on SC. Going Hard-Medium would've been way too risky in a hope to wait for SC till the last moment

"Gambling" on a safety car is what I would hardly call a strategy.

[FerrariF60]

"Gambling" on a safety car is what I would hardly call a strategy.

^ this…I absolutely 100% agree

[Super M]

Great driving and thinking by Leclerc this weekend

Can you believe that a driver like Leclerc came up with this idea...............where on earth was his engineer in all of this! ???................Oh wait, he does't think , my bad.

Still cant get over how brilliant Leclerc was when i heard the radio conv to the pit wall. truly remarkable that's for sure........

[JChan]

last race of the season waiting for the SC that did not happen, when ahead of the pack hoping for no accidents/SC everything happens! no luck for 2023.

[tifosi1993]

"Gambling" on a safety car is what I would hardly call a strategy.

It was also Sainz's call to go for the hards. Sainz's pace was pretty poor and no amount of strategy would compensate that. Stroll who finished P10 was faster than him on the same compound.

[jgonzalesm6]

It was also Sainz's call to go for the hards. Sainz's pace was pretty poor and no amount of strategy would compensate that. Stroll who finished P10 was faster than him on the same compound.

So Sainz called for the hards at the start of the race. Then Ferrari pitted him on lap 23 for another set of hards with the strategy that a Latifi-Safety Car MAY come out.....but it didn't. Then Ferrari pitted Sainz with 33 lap old tires on lap 57(58 laps in the race) for what? Did he even come back out? What for right!! The race was done by then.

Great strategy if you ask me for Sainz.

[tifosi1993]

So Sainz called for the hards at the start of the race. Then Ferrari pitted him on lap 23 for another set of hards with the strategy that a Latifi-Safety Car MAY come out.....but it didn't. Then Ferrari pitted Sainz with 33 lap old tires on lap 57(58 laps in the race) for what? Did he even come back out? What for right!! The race was done by then.

Great strategy if you ask me for Sainz.

So what do you suggest that Ferrari should've done to get Sainz into points? He was slower than Stroll who finished P10. The fact is, Sainz didn't have the pace to get into the top 10, regardless of the strategy. He may have beaten Albon and that's about it.

[jgonzalesm6]

So what do you suggest that Ferrari should've done to get Sainz into points? He was slower than Stroll who finished P10. The fact is, Sainz didn't have the pace to get into the top 10, regardless of the strategy. He may have beaten Albon and that's about it.

Start on the mediums first like mostly everyone else did. Then come in for the hards after lap 14 thru 20. Go thru on the hards till lap 40 thru 45. Then box box box for another set of hards thru lap 58.

That's it.

[tifosi1993]

Start on the mediums first like mostly everyone else did. Then come in for the hards after lap 14 thru 20. Go thru on the hards till lap 40 thru 45. Then box box box for another set of hards thru lap 58.

That's it.

Yeah but what it would've achieved? Do really think he had the pace to offset Alo-Ham-Tsu and Stroll?

[jgonzalesm6]

Yeah but what it would've achieved? Do really think he had the pace to offset Alo-Ham-Tsu and Stroll?

Difficult to tell.

But it sure beats waiting for a safety car and leaving Sainz out there to hang dry.

[Greig]

Difficult to tell.

But it sure beats waiting for a safety car and leaving Sainz out there to hang dry.

His pace or lack of it was the only thing leaving him to hang dry, no strategy can cover that up hence they had to hope for a SC.

[jgonzalesm6]

His pace or lack of it was the only thing leaving him to hang dry, no strategy can cover that up hence they had to hope for a SC.

Well, when you start on hards and almost everyone else is on the medium tire, of course he lacked pace.....duh.

[Greig]

Well, when you start on hards and almost everyone else is on the medium tire, of course he lacked pace.....duh.

Stroll started on hards, had better pace than Carlos.

[jgonzalesm6]

Stroll started on hards, had better pace than Carlos.

Maybe IF Sainz started on mediums, his lack of pace in the first few laps could have been better than starting on the hard tire.

[Brembo]

6 pts ahead finish for Charles @ Ferrari, The only race win out of R Bull for Carlos the whole season makes Carlos and Ferrari the best of the rest!! Merc just made it last race to #2 spot.

[aroutis]

Maybe IF Sainz started on mediums, his lack of pace in the first few laps could have been better than starting on the hard tire.

Like it or not ( I guess not in your case ) , he was slow. He was not getting in points in this race and that's about it.
Is not a matter of strategy, some times there is something the driver cannot figure out in a race and that's what was going on with Carlos. And let's not forget, Carlos can be quite vocal in his races pertaining strategy calls.
I don't recall him doing that. So let's not blame everything on the team for once.

[tifosi1993]

Difficult to tell.

But it sure beats waiting for a safety car and leaving Sainz out there to hang dry.

Not that difficult if you followed the live timing. Rather than focusing on woulda shoulda coulda let's concentrate on the facts. And fact is that Stroll had no problem leaving Sainz to dust when both had the same tyres and when both were on clean air.

So any suggestion of Sainz being been faster than Stroll, if he had mediums tyres after the 1st pitstop is nothing but a wishful thinking.

[Brembo]

After CARLOS' win Ferrari made sure Charles got the needed points last race. Monaco vs Spain!

[racingbradley]

After CARLOS' win Ferrari made sure Charles got the needed points last race. Monaco vs Spain!

I think Charles did that by himself Brembo by driving fast.

[Brembo]

I think Charles did that by himself Brembo by driving fast.

By sending Charles out with a car that could finally finish a race ,yes for sure Charles did the rest driving fast and safe. I agree with you, he's right up there with the best drivers. Again he needs a best car.Where would Max be without a best car?

[Tifoso]

Because he has to use 2 compounds, not just hards.

Exactly

[Brembo]

Not that difficult if you followed the live timing. Rather than focusing on woulda shoulda coulda let's concentrate on the facts. And fact is that Stroll had no problem leaving Sainz to dust when both had the same tyres and when both were on clean air.

So any suggestion of Sainz being been faster than Stroll, if he had mediums tyres after the 1st pitstop is nothing but a wishful thinking.

So... That Sainz beating Stroll and everyone else for that only other team 2023 win ; sure was a major win for 2023 records! Too bad Ferrari didn't get that WCC 2nd place.Charles was left to dust the whole year without a win for his team.