Preview | Will Ferrari take the consolation prize in Abu Dhabi?

After the tumultuous Brazilian Grand Prix, the Formula One circus travels to Abu Dhabi for the very last race of the 2022 season. Both championships have already concluded, but there is still plenty to look forward to. Read GPblog's preview here.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton has no less than five wins to his name in Abu Dhabi. Sebastian Vettel is second with three wins, while Max Verstappen managed to win the Grand Prix the past two years.

Verstappen's victory in 2020 proved to be a good prediction of next season. The Abu Dhabi circuit has never suited the Red Bull Racing car very well in the past, and after Hamilton's dominant season in 2020, Red Bull's strong form in the closing stages of the year came as a surprise. In the end, it proved to be a good predictor for next season, where Red Bull had built a car good enough for title contention.

Yas Marina Circuit

The Yas Marina circuit is located on the island of Yas, about half an hour's drive from the city of Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi GP has been hosted by Formula 1 since 2009. With 16 corners, the circuit is over 5.2 kilometres long. Changes were made to the circuit layout in 2021 to promote overtaking.

Formula 1 in 2022

After a long and chaotic season, the 2022 Formula 1 season comes to an end in Abu Dhabi. Many teams have already shifted their focus to next season. Fans can recover for a few months, but teams will be working hard during the winter break to develop the new car.

Yet there are also a number of drivers on the grid who will precisely not be looking at the 2023 season. Indeed, Sebastian Vettel will be driving his very last Formula 1 race in Abu Dhabi. The four-time world champion is retiring after a long and successful career in the sport. Daniel Ricciardo is also saying goodbye to F1 for the time being after Abu Dhabi, as McLaren has replaced the Australian with compatriot Oscar Piastri. We may still see Ricciardo in the paddock in 2023, though, as rumours circulate that he will compete as a reserve driver for Mercedes or Red Bull Racing. In 2024, the Australian hopes to return with a full-time seat.

Mick Schumacher is also not yet sure whether he is currently driving his last season in F1. According to the latest rumours, the Haas driver will be replaced by Nico Hulkenberg in 2023. The announcement is very likely to follow this week. So in Abu Dhabi, we may be saying goodbye to three drivers.

Weather forecast

We are unlikely to see showers in Abu Dhabi this coming weekend. According to Weather.com the temperature will be around 31 degrees Celsius all weekend. In the evening, the temperature only drops by a few degrees. On Friday, the chance of rain is only five per cent, with the rest of the weekend even lower.

Forecast for the Abu Dhabi GP

A year after the controversial final race between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, the 2021 Abu Dhabi race will still be talked about. The Dutchman won the title on the very last lap of the race, thanks in part to faulty decisions by race director Michael Masi.

This year, there are again two drivers leaving for the final race of the season with an equal number of points, but this time they are not title rivals. Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc are fighting for second place in the constructors' championship and both have 290 points. After Verstappen's bizarre action in Brazil, where he did not want to cede his position to his teammate, Perez will have to rely on the Dutchman's help all the way in Abu Dhabi.

Several battles are also still going on in the constructors' championship. Mercedes has further caught up with second-placed Ferrari after the one-two in Brazil. The Yas Marina circuit may not suit the W13 as well as Interlagos, but a good performance from Ferrari is no guarantee either. Alpine is on P4 with a 19-point lead over McLaren. The British team had a dramatic race in Brazil with a double elimination on Sunday. McLaren will therefore need a minor miracle in Abu Dhabi to beat Alpine yet. At the bottom of the field, Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo are battling each other for P6, while Haas and AlphaTauri are just two points apart for P8. In short: there are still plenty of battles to look forward to in the final race of the season.

Timetable for the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Friday

First free practice: 11:00-12:00

Second free practice: 14:00-15:00

Saturday

Third free practice: 11:30-12:30

Qualifying: 15:00-16:00

Sunday

Race: 14:00-16:00