The Official 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Thread **Spoilers**

[glazbagun]

sc0tt said:

Bring back maldonado for this race

Well we have Vettel this season. Maybe Rosberg will have to claw his way back from dead last like Malaysia. THAT would make an exciting finale!

[Vaud]

sc0tt said:

Bring back maldonado for this race

And Timo Glock.

and Inoue,

[KevinCamaroSS]

deadslow said:

KevinCamaroSS said:

So, no, on balance the string of mechanical issues has cost Hamilton the championship,

not yet, it hasn't

Hopefully not at all!

[768]

Is Hamilton really just going to go for the win without even a little bit of fun and games? Brake test into turn 1?

[Vaud]

768 said:

Is Hamilton really just going to go for the win without even a little bit of fun and games? Brake test into turn 1?

Why on earth would he risk it? He needs the win.

[thegreenhell]

GCH said:

If he comes back to win it, it will be Lewis' hardest fought and most deserved title - to come back from such a massive deficit where a lot of people had mentally all but engraved rosberg's name on the trophy, and then to then come back from another deficit in the closing rounds is superb.

If he comes back to win it due to a Rosberg reliability issue in the last race then that is how it will be remembered. The headlines will all be about Rosberg leading for most of the year but being cruelly robbed in the last round, gifting the title to Hamilton. The circumstances as to why Hamilton was behind going into the race will be swept aside by all but the most rabid fans. People have short memories, and the tabloids and Hollywood love a good headline. Balance, fairness and a reasoned backstory will be overlooked by the majority.

[thatsprettyshady]

thegreenhell said:

If he comes back to win it due to a Rosberg reliability issue in the last race then that is how it will be remembered. The headlines will all be about Rosberg leading for most of the year but being cruelly robbed in the last round, gifting the title to Hamilton. The circumstances as to why Hamilton was behind going into the race will be swept aside by all but the most rabid fans. People have short memories, and the tabloids and Hollywood love a good headline. Balance, fairness and a reasoned backstory will be overlooked by the majority.

[HustleRussell]

Vaud said:

sc0tt said:

Bring back maldonado for this race

And Timo Glock.

and Inoue,

Why have them when you already have Romain Grosjean with malfunctioning brakes?

[HustleRussell]

thegreenhell said:

If he comes back to win it due to a Rosberg reliability issue in the last race then that is how it will be remembered. The headlines will all be about Rosberg leading for most of the year but being cruelly robbed in the last round, gifting the title to Hamilton. The circumstances as to why Hamilton was behind going into the race will be swept aside by all but the most rabid fans. People have short memories, and the tabloids and Hollywood love a good headline. Balance, fairness and a reasoned backstory will be overlooked by the majority.

I hate to make such an controversial historical parallel but... have you ever heard of a chap called Ayrton Senna? Most worshipped and revered driver who won at least one championship under a cloud of controversy. There's also one Michael Schumacher.

[swisstoni]

Only the nerds remember the circs of a WDC. All the ins and outs of the season are soon forgotten and it's NR WDC 2016 (or LH) and that's that.

[768]

Vaud said:

768 said:

Is Hamilton really just going to go for the win without even a little bit of fun and games? Brake test into turn 1?

Why on earth would he risk it? He needs the win.

The win isn't enough.

[GTO-3R]

768 said:

Vaud said:

768 said:

Is Hamilton really just going to go for the win without even a little bit of fun and games? Brake test into turn 1?

Why on earth would he risk it? He needs the win.

The win isn't enough.

What if he tries something that ends up taking himself out the race but not Nico? He's truly shafted then because it doesnt matter if Nico has to retire later in the race, he still wins the WDC!

[glazbagun]

GTO-3R said:

768 said:

Vaud said:

768 said:

Is Hamilton really just going to go for the win without even a little bit of fun and games? Brake test into turn 1?

Why on earth would he risk it? He needs the win.

The win isn't enough.

What if he tries something that ends up taking himself out the race but not Nico? He's truly shafted then because it doesnt matter if Nico has to retire later in the race, he still wins the WDC!

Being slow through a sector where it's hard to overtake would slow Nico down with minimal risk to himself. Do it repeatedly until Max/Ricciardo catch him and then he can leave them to it. Assuming he hooks it up off the line and doesn't end up chasing Nico.

[HustleRussell]

After all this hype and speculation, I feel that the Abu Dhabi race may be a mere formality- Hamilton wins the race, Rosberg 2nd, Rosberg championship- and we'll all be left wishing the season had ended with the Brazil epic.

[Dusty964]

HustleRussell said:

After all this hype and speculation, I feel that the Abu Dhabi race may be a mere formality- Hamilton wins the race, Rosberg 2nd, Rosberg championship- and we'll all be left wishing the season had ended with the Brazil epic.

The one where Hamilton won the race and Rosberg was 2nd?
Much the same but a lot drier in other words.

[suffolk009]

glazbagun said:

Being slow through a sector where it's hard to overtake would slow Nico down with minimal risk to himself. Do it repeatedly until Max/Ricciardo catch him and then he can leave them to it. Assuming he hooks it up off the line and doesn't end up chasing Nico.

Exactly.

If everything else falls into place as it has done for the last few races (Qually: HAM, ROS, redbulls, Ferraris, etc) then forcing Rosberg backwards into a hard charging pack is the only play open to him.

If Hamilton ends up chasing Rosberg, Hamilton will have to make a very committed overtake, and Rosberg will have to jump out of the way. Hamilton has no reason not to commit to an all or nothing overtake, and Rosberg has everything to lose if he defends too hard.

Rosbergs real problem in this race is not worrying about Hamilton winning, but in making sure he comes second (or third).

[GTO-3R]

glazbagun said:

GTO-3R said:

768 said:

Vaud said:

768 said:

Is Hamilton really just going to go for the win without even a little bit of fun and games? Brake test into turn 1?

Why on earth would he risk it? He needs the win.

The win isn't enough.

What if he tries something that ends up taking himself out the race but not Nico? He's truly shafted then because it doesnt matter if Nico has to retire later in the race, he still wins the WDC!

Being slow through a sector where it's hard to overtake would slow Nico down with minimal risk to himself. Do it repeatedly until Max/Ricciardo catch him and then he can leave them to it. Assuming he hooks it up off the line and doesn't end up chasing Nico.

Completely agree, it was more the brake test I was refering to and the risk that brings in

[BrettMRC]

thatsprettyshady said:

thegreenhell said:

If he comes back to win it due to a Rosberg reliability issue in the last race then that is how it will be remembered. The headlines will all be about Rosberg leading for most of the year but being cruelly robbed in the last round, gifting the title to Hamilton. The circumstances as to why Hamilton was behind going into the race will be swept aside by all but the most rabid fans. People have short memories, and the tabloids and Hollywood love a good headline. Balance, fairness and a reasoned backstory will be overlooked by the majority.

[Hungrymc]

glazbagun said:

Being slow through a sector where it's hard to overtake would slow Nico down with minimal risk to himself. Do it repeatedly until Max/Ricciardo catch him and then he can leave them to it. Assuming he hooks it up off the line and doesn't end up chasing Nico.

I may look rather foolish for saying this .... But I don't think Lewis will play any games, I think he'll try to hammer home the point that he believes he's the better driver by taking a good win. He'll leave Nico's result to his driving and his luck. Lewis will then give a million interviews explaining the impact of reliability on his points haul and how it denied him a level playing field, but how he accepts Nico as a great driver and worthy champion, just one that Lewis knows he is better than.

[37chevy]

Hungrymc said:

I may look rather foolish for saying this .... But I don't think Lewis will play any games, I think he'll try to hammer home the point that he believes he's the better driver by taking a good win. He'll leave Nico's result to his driving and his luck. Lewis will then give a million interviews explaining the impact of reliability on his points haul and how it denied him a level playing field, but how he accepts Nico as a great driver and worthy champion, just one that Lewis knows he is better than.

yep il go with this. last thing Hamilton needs is people blasting him for being unsporting. he can win, and win big, will have the moral high ground and go into the winter knowing that he was the better man....and more importantly nico will know it too.