2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina, Dec 05 - 07

[chrisc90]

Have to mention that you have 2 McLaren drivers “taking points off each other” and RBR only having “1 lead driver” posts forget the fact that having 2cars vs 1 means you have significant more strategy options to put one car ahead of the team with 1 driver there.

I don’t think I can recall one instance where Yuki has been ‘used’ to help max strategically overtake the McLarens in the pit strategy. (And vice versa - if it ever happens)
I think the above can be said for the McLaren strategy too. Aside from AD25 where they split strategies I can’t recall of one strategic plan that helped one driver fight Max off. RBR always led the strategy and it was either a case of McLaren pitting a lap behind Max, or extending the stint.


On other notes. I hope whatever is happening with GP and his clear upset on the pit wall (or things at home with him missing a few weekends) is nothing too bad. Fingers crossed it was just pure emotion for the title fight (which should never have been).

[Quantum]

Have to mention that you have 2 McLaren drivers “taking points off each other” and RBR only having “1 lead driver” posts forget the fact that having 2cars vs 1 means you have significant more strategy options to put one car ahead of the team with 1 driver there.

No, not when they're literally racing each other.

[FittingMechanics]

Have to mention that you have 2 McLaren drivers “taking points off each other” and RBR only having “1 lead driver” posts forget the fact that having 2cars vs 1 means you have significant more strategy options to put one car ahead of the team with 1 driver there.

I don’t think I can recall one instance where Yuki has been ‘used’ to help max strategically overtake the McLarens in the pit strategy. (And vice versa - if it ever happens)
I think the above can be said for the McLaren strategy too. Aside from AD25 where they split strategies I can’t recall of one strategic plan that helped one driver fight Max off. RBR always led the strategy and it was either a case of McLaren pitting a lap behind Max, or extending the stint.

This is because McLaren thought that they are nailed on for WDC and the focus of each driver was on each other from early in the season. They didn't do their best to beat Verstappen, they worked to beat each other. This was my main frustration with the team through the season as they had two cars high up the order but almost never used them to beat Verstappen.

I remember that in one race engineer asked Piastri does he want to focus on beating Verstappen or making sure he stays ahead of Lando and he answered Lando.

This was a miscalculation and a mistake by the drivers and the team. Luckily it didn't come and hurt them but I hope they learn for the future. Priority always must be a victory for the team and then if you really want to, make some rule how you "spread the strategy around".

In short, priority has to be to get maximum points over the season and not to minimize risk of losing points against your teammate (which is what they did for most of the season).

[chrisc90]

Putting 1 car infront of your competitor should be the focus.

[SharkY]

Here are the end season WDC & WCC progress charts of the TOP 4 teams.



It's interesting that Piastri's and Verstappen's lines have almost opposite curve. Russel seems like the most consitent of the bunch, with Leclerc close behind, but with a slower car.
It's also nicely visible, how Antonelli gathered himself at the end and started scoring some decent points.



For WCC, the Macca's advantage over the rest is immense. The battle for P2 was quite interesting up until 3/4 of the season. Even with the slower car, FER was challenging MER even though they had a slower car. That was mostly due to the 2nd driver abilities, as Lewis was scoring more consistently than Kimi. But when Kimi got the hang of the car, it was competition no more.
Funny enough, with his end of the season form, Max could get WCC P2 by himself if there were a few more races.

[Mosin123]

What is there to be excited about? :/

All we could hope was that Norris faced some terrible misfortune or bad mistake for there to be any actual hope for Verstappen or Piastri. And Norris had a dominant car all year, yet will only beat another driver in another car by two points, while being extremely mediocre himself overall given his advantages. Not to mention there's plenty of valid suspicion that Mclaren really did want Norris to win it over Piastri this year.

It's hardly a shock people aren't barging in with excitement. Legitimately the most underwhelming WDC winner in a very long time.

I thought his return to form to catch and pass OP was more than well deserving........

Well I cant speak to such low standards, I guess. A dominant car passing a Haas on his way to finish 3rd place behind his teammate and a person in an ultimately weaker car doesn't strike me as the most exciting way to close out as a supposed champion drive.

EDIT: I'm realizing you were probably being sarcastic. My bad. It's hard to tell sometimes. lol

Low standards? This season has been way way way more deserved than a few recent ones..... how can you compare a 3 way title fight, to a 1 man band walk over? a team in which its 2nd driver is nothing but a sacrificial pig.

Rather watch Lando and OP fight it out season after season after season than watch any championship that involves just 1 unsporting dedicated number 1.

[search]

For Michael Schmidt from AMuS, Abu Dhabi was the final race after >40 years in F1. Will be a big loss for the (German) scene. While there surely are some better writers than him, he was the only one knowing what questions to ask, and to have enough understanding of the sport to put a and b together. Even internationally, there are very few able to do that.

https://www.instagram.com/sportauto.de/p/DR9jtvOjziM/

[AR3-GP]

For Michael Schmidt from AMuS, Abu Dhabi was the final race after >40 years in F1. Will be a big loss for the (German) scene. While there surely are some better writers than him, he was the only one knowing what questions to ask, and to have enough understanding of the sport to put a and b together. Even internationally, there are very few able to do that.

https://www.instagram.com/sportauto.de/p/DR9jtvOjziM/

That's a shame. I also hear that Mark Hughes is abandoning the ship. He's gone after the Saudi money apparently...

There won't be anyone left but EvH (not really technical and mostly VER-centric) and the Italians.

[leblanc]

Here are the end season WDC & WCC progress charts of the TOP 4 teams.

https://imgur.com/L3ATO9o.png

It's interesting that Piastri's and Verstappen's lines have almost opposite curve. Russel seems like the most consitent of the bunch, with Leclerc close behind, but with a slower car.
It's also nicely visible, how Antonelli gathered himself at the end and started scoring some decent points.

Easiest way is simply comparing the slopes of the lines.

[search]

For Michael Schmidt from AMuS, Abu Dhabi was the final race after >40 years in F1. Will be a big loss for the (German) scene. While there surely are some better writers than him, he was the only one knowing what questions to ask, and to have enough understanding of the sport to put a and b together. Even internationally, there are very few able to do that.

https://www.instagram.com/sportauto.de/p/DR9jtvOjziM/

That's a shame. I also hear that Mark Hughes is abandoning the ship. He's gone after the Saudi money apparently...

There won't be anyone left but EvH (not really technical and mostly VER-centric) and the Italians.

yeah, guys like Duchessa are good, of course, but also mainly focused on one team.

Schmidt today said that he will still be around for four races next year, though, so it seems to be more of a semi-retirement. I got that wrong in the earlier statement.

[collindsilva]

there is test happening today for the mule car and 2026 tyre, can we have some pic of mule car..

[FittingMechanics]

there is test happening today for the mule car and 2026 tyre, can we have some pic of mule car..

Not sure the cars are that different. From my understanding the mule is their 2025 car but with some limitation.
There is gallery on F1 website. Apparently it will be updated.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/arti ... 88S8d6LKOV

[Mogster]

For Michael Schmidt from AMuS, Abu Dhabi was the final race after >40 years in F1. Will be a big loss for the (German) scene. While there surely are some better writers than him, he was the only one knowing what questions to ask, and to have enough understanding of the sport to put a and b together. Even internationally, there are very few able to do that.

https://www.instagram.com/sportauto.de/p/DR9jtvOjziM/

That's a shame. I also hear that Mark Hughes is abandoning the ship. He's gone after the Saudi money apparently...

There won't be anyone left but EvH (not really technical and mostly VER-centric) and the Italians.

yeah, guys like Duchessa are good, of course, but also mainly focused on one team.

Schmidt today said that he will still be around for four races next year, though, so it seems to be more of a semi-retirement. I got that wrong in the earlier statement.

On “The Race” F1 podcast they suggested that Hughes was stepping back from broadcasting but would still be working on print articles. Although not a natural broadcaster I’ll miss his input on the podcast. His more technical analysis of the races was always worth listening to.