Abu Dhonkey of the race

[donKey jote]

Kimi
special mention to Massa for that big "L" on his forehead :andrea:

[janneppi]

The race itself. Mindbogglingly boring.

After the first 10 meters it was obvious who was going to win(to be honest it was clear who was going to win this race a month ago). Top three was locked half way through.

[Tazio]

Lotus
Kimi
Lotus
Kimi :angel:

[Koz]

Kimi, cause he didn't feel like racing.

FIA for not punishing Slash and Alonso.

[DexDexter]

Mark Webber for finishing 30 odd seconds behind the winner in a similar car.

[A FONDO]

I can't nominate a proper donkey this time.

Maybe Weber for starting from pole and finishing half a minute behind his teammate

[Koz]

Mark Webber for finishing 30 odd seconds behind the winner in a similar car.

He maintained pace after he was free from traffic.
The blame should be on whoever called him in.

Same goes for the Lotus strategists.

Reminds me of 2010.

[pino]

The race :snore:

[henners88]

I'm going to vote for two donkey's for this race.

1. Esteban Gutierrez for weaving in the breaking zone and making more than one move while Hamilton was trying to pass.

2. Me..... For 2 hours of my life I will never get back after watching one of the dullest races in my 26 years as a fan. I'm so glad this race was just highlights and I didn't put off going out with the family this afternoon. :snore:

[COD]

I would vote for Tilke for producing a track that every year produces the dullest race of the year.

I don't see how Kimi could be nominated, he was on the inside and nowhere to go when the Caterham turned in without looking at the mirrors

[steveaki13]

Kimi put his car right into a space where VDG was always going to catch him, due to the turn 1 antics. No driver looks in mirrors into turn 1 of a Grand Prix.

As for Donkeys:

The Track - Dull track, but for sorry DRS passes its a crap design.
Kimi - For above.
Lotus - Not paying Kimi and letting things get to this state.

erm....... stewards for not penalising Sutil and maybe Alonso.

[tfp]

Ferrari, for a rubbish strategy which they did on purpose to make Massa finish behind Fred.

[donKey jote]

Ferrari, for a rubbish strategy which they did on purpose to make Massa finish behind Fred.

:bigcry: :p

[anfield5]

Whoever decided to hold a rce in Abu Dhabi and Herr Tilke for providing yet another dull useless unraceble circuit for the best drivers in the world to bore us all silly on.

[Roamy]

Vettel for the cheating F__K he is

[dj_bytedisaster]

Vettel for the cheating F__K he is

Could you substantiate that with any facts or did you just log on to let us know that your life is shyte?

[555-04Q2]

Kimi. I'm amazed at how uninterested he is in F1. This is his job for heavens sake, show a bit of interest and stick around for a while. Must have been eager to get back to the bar at the hotel!

[zako85]

Vettel for the cheating F__K he is

Could you substantiate that with any facts or did you just log on to let us know that your life is shyte?

He wins seven races in a row. That's the proof. No further explanation is necessary. After all, Ferrari deserves to have won at least one race even though the stopped the 2013 car development after Spa or maybe even earlier. Mercedes, a confirmed cheating team, also deserves to win a race even though they and McLaren probably haven't been tweaking their cars for months now. I always enjoy seeing Ferrari beaten because this always results on all sorts of funny reactions from the fans.

[555-04Q2]

Vettel for the cheating F__K he is

I agree, his staying within the white lines for all 55 laps and racing well was plain old cheating!

[Big Ben]

Formula 1? With all their efforts to make it a show (even a fake one if needed) this has been one of the least interesting f1 season I remember.

[555-04Q2]

Worse than 2002 and 2004 :surprised:

[henners88]

Mercedes, a confirmed cheating team, also deserves to win a race even though they and McLaren probably haven't been tweaking their cars for months now.
This caught my eye. How are Mercedes a 'confirmed cheating team'? Or is this going back to the test they did for Pirelli? I thought they had been punished for that and excluded from the following test. Seems a bit harsh to keep saying this, at least considering nobody is whiter than white in F1. The whole sport is built on gaining a competitive edge and stretching the spirit of the rules. I don't think there are many teams on the grid who have not faced sanctions for cheating in some way. Ferrari, McLaren, and even Red Bull have been in a position where they've been asked to remove illegal parts, or faced intensive scrutineering. Labelling one team as cheats is very naive IMO.

Formula 1? With all their efforts to make it a show (even a fake one if needed) this has been one of the least interesting f1 season I remember.
I have to say I've reduced my interest in the sport this year, well at least since July. It started well and looked like we'd see a fight between 3 teams for the championship, but Red Bull are just too good for everybody else. Its been another 2011 and although its a dream for Vettel and Red Bull fans, its a turn off for the rest of us. Its purely selfish from my point of view I admit. I'm finding it difficult to appreciate the talent at the very front when it all looks so clinical and easy.

[555-04Q2]

Mercedes, a confirmed cheating team, also deserves to win a race even though they and McLaren probably haven't been tweaking their cars for months now.
This caught my eye. How are Mercedes a 'confirmed cheating team'? Or is this going back to the test they did for Pirelli? I thought they had been punished for that and excluded from the following test. Seems a bit harsh to keep saying this, at least considering nobody is whiter than white in F1. The whole sport is built on gaining a competitive edge and stretching the spirit of the rules. I don't think there are many teams on the grid who have not faced sanctions for cheating in some way. Ferrari, McLaren, and even Red Bull have been in a position where they've been asked to remove illegal parts, or faced intensive scrutineering. Labelling one team as cheats is very naive IMO.

Formula 1? With all their efforts to make it a show (even a fake one if needed) this has been one of the least interesting f1 season I remember.
I have to say I've reduced my interest in the sport this year, well at least since July. It started well and looked like we'd see a fight between 3 teams for the championship, but Red Bull are just too good for everybody else. Its been another 2011 and although its a dream for Vettel and Red Bull fans, its a turn off for the rest of us. Its purely selfish from my point of view I admit. I'm finding it difficult to appreciate the talent at the very front when it all looks so clinical and easy.

Correct they all bend the rules (cheat). There are no innocent parties in F1, period!

[zako85]

Formula 1? With all their efforts to make it a show (even a fake one if needed) this has been one of the least interesting f1 season I remember.


I think the problem is due to 20-race schedule. If they had only 15-16 races a year, the fight for the titles would have been much tighter. If a team A is stronger than team B, even by tiny amount, simply by the law of large numbers they should come out on top eventually. However, if there are too many races, chances are high that the title fight will be over well before the final race, and the rest of season will effectively be considered a "lame duck season". Another problem is that we're dealing with a lame duck chassis in a lame duck season. It's possible that some teams don't want to invest more into the current chassis, because the next year's chassis may be a clean sheet design. It's a "bad" year indeed due to the circumstances. I think the next year will be more interesting.

[zako85]

Mercedes, a confirmed cheating team, also deserves to win a race even though they and McLaren probably haven't been tweaking their cars for months now.
This caught my eye. How are Mercedes a 'confirmed cheating team'? Or is this going back to the test they did for Pirelli? I thought they had been punished for that and excluded from the following test. Seems a bit harsh to keep saying this, at least considering nobody is whiter than white in F1. The whole sport is built on gaining a competitive edge and stretching the spirit of the rules. I don't think there are many teams on the grid who have not faced sanctions for cheating in some way. Ferrari, McLaren, and even Red Bull have been in a position where they've been asked to remove illegal parts, or faced intensive scrutineering. Labelling one team as cheats is very naive IMO.

So you're not ok with me labeling Mercedes, who got caught red handed during illegal tyre test, as cheats but ok with Roamy's idiotic post labeling Vettel as cheat? My whole post was a joke answer to Roamy's post. Indeed it's stupid to label a team or driver as cheats, at least this year. Today, the internet is just ripe with people labeling RedBull as cheats in posts on numerous blogs and forums even though RedBull cars face formal scrutineering all the time. Some guys just don't know how to accept a loss. Such sore losers.

[SGWilko]

Kimi. I'm amazed at how uninterested he is in F1. This is his job for heavens sake, show a bit of interest and stick around for a while. Must have been eager to get back to the bar at the hotel!

True, but would you do your job if your employer conveniently forgot that you need paying?

[555-04Q2]

Kimi. I'm amazed at how uninterested he is in F1. This is his job for heavens sake, show a bit of interest and stick around for a while. Must have been eager to get back to the bar at the hotel!

True, but would you do your job if your employer conveniently forgot that you need paying?

Well it's not just his time at Lotus. We saw the same attitude when he was with Ferrari, remember, and I'm sure he was the same at Macca back then.

[Rollo]

Kimi. I'm amazed at how uninterested he is in F1. This is his job for heavens sake, show a bit of interest and stick around for a while. Must have been eager to get back to the bar at the hotel!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-02/k ... ow/5065702 (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-02/kimi-raikkonen-threatens-lotus-walk-out-over-pay-row/5065702)
"Sometimes it is not very nice when you hear that you are not really a team player, and you don't have the interests of the team (at heart) - but you have been paid zero Euro the whole year," said Raikkonen.
- ABC website, 2nd Nov 2013

If this is true, it's a job for which he's not been adequately paid for.

[555-04Q2]

Kimi. I'm amazed at how uninterested he is in F1. This is his job for heavens sake, show a bit of interest and stick around for a while. Must have been eager to get back to the bar at the hotel!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-02/k ... ow/5065702 (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-02/kimi-raikkonen-threatens-lotus-walk-out-over-pay-row/5065702)
"Sometimes it is not very nice when you hear that you are not really a team player, and you don't have the interests of the team (at heart) - but you have been paid zero Euro the whole year," said Raikkonen.
- ABC website, 2nd Nov 2013

If this is true, it's a job for which he's not been adequately paid for.

It is a bit tough on him if he hasn't been paid by Lotus!

[jens]

Ferrari, for a rubbish strategy which they did on purpose to make Massa finish behind Fred.

IMO Massa could not make the tyres last as well as Alonso. Remember, before the second stop Alonso was lapping 1 sec per lap faster than Massa. And Massa was in bigger danger of collapsing in the end than Alonso, so they needed to make a stop.

It is the same discussion as we had in Japan - "Webber was sabotaged".

In the end teams are pragmatic. Webber and Massa could not conserve the tyres as well as their team-mates and they needed an alternative strategy to get the job done. Well, at least my interpretation.

[N. Jones]

Yas Marina Circuit.
It sucks.

[schmenke]

Formula 1? With all their efforts to make it a show (even a fake one if needed) this has been one of the least interesting f1 season I remember.

Completely agree.

In fact, I was watching the Abu Dhabi race recorded on my PVR (as I usually do). I watched up to the first corner, when Seb took the lead, then stopped playback and deleted the recording. By the sounds of it, I’m glad I didn’t waste my time watching it :mark: .

[steveaki13]

Worse than 2002 and 2004 :surprised:

I enjoyed 2002 and 2004 personally. :) I have never found any F1 season dull until DRS came in. honest answer. :)

[steveaki13]

. Its purely selfish from my point of view I admit. I'm finding it difficult to appreciate the talent at the very front when it all looks so clinical and easy.

I can understand getting bored with Sebs winning ways, but I can't see how you can fail to appreciation the talent he shows. I marvel at each drive he performs. As he is brilliant. Personal taste I suppose. :)

[henners88]

Mercedes, a confirmed cheating team, also deserves to win a race even though they and McLaren probably haven't been tweaking their cars for months now.
This caught my eye. How are Mercedes a 'confirmed cheating team'? Or is this going back to the test they did for Pirelli? I thought they had been punished for that and excluded from the following test. Seems a bit harsh to keep saying this, at least considering nobody is whiter than white in F1. The whole sport is built on gaining a competitive edge and stretching the spirit of the rules. I don't think there are many teams on the grid who have not faced sanctions for cheating in some way. Ferrari, McLaren, and even Red Bull have been in a position where they've been asked to remove illegal parts, or faced intensive scrutineering. Labelling one team as cheats is very naive IMO.

So you're not ok with me labeling Mercedes, who got caught red handed during illegal tyre test, as cheats but ok with Roamy's idiotic post labeling Vettel as cheat? My whole post was a joke answer to Roamy's post. Indeed it's stupid to label a team or driver as cheats, at least this year. Today, the internet is just ripe with people labeling RedBull as cheats in posts on numerous blogs and forums even though RedBull cars face formal scrutineering all the time. Some guys just don't know how to accept a loss. Such sore losers.
I thought you'd been here long enough to know when you are dealing with one of Fausto's tongue in cheek comments. :)


. Its purely selfish from my point of view I admit. I'm finding it difficult to appreciate the talent at the very front when it all looks so clinical and easy.

I can understand getting bored with Sebs winning ways, but I can't see how you can fail to appreciation the talent he shows. I marvel at each drive he performs. As he is brilliant. Personal taste I suppose. :)
It must be personal taste. I don't get the same level of satisfaction seeing Vettel drive to an easy victory as when others do it. Vettel is obviously a hugely talented driver, I say that often enough, I just don't have a big smile on my face at the end of the races and think wow, I've just witnessed an amazing drive. Its just one of those things. Its not ruining my life or anything lol and I don't need to be convinced, because I appreciate the talent of every racing driver in my own way.

I must admit I am bored with Red Bull and Vettel's winning ways, the same way I took a three year break from following F1 between 2001 and 2004. I was at uni at that time and didn't carry the focus with me back then. I think Seb is one of those drivers I will enjoy watching in a few years rather than while he is on a relatively unchallenged winning streak. This era is not all doom and gloom for me though don't worry!

PS: F1 is not doing an awful lot to keep me interested of late and its not just what is going on or not going on on-track. Half the live races have put me and a lot of others off and with the BBC rumored to be dropping live coverage completely very soon, I doubt I'll have much need to be discussing any aspect of it much longer.

[steveaki13]

:D No worries Henners.

I just wish someone could get their arses in gear and build a car to challenge Red Bull. Its not good for F1 for this to go on.

[henners88]

:D No worries Henners.

I just wish someone could get their arses in gear and build a car to challenge Red Bull. Its not good for F1 for this to go on.
One thing I do appreciate from Red Bull is the fact their car is a beautiful piece of British engineering. I also appreciate Adrian Newey as is he from my home town and gives us something to be proud of. His father was our family vet for many years and his son is possibly the best thing to come out of the town since the Bard himself!

I don't hold out much hope for the other top teams as it stands. I optimistically hope the regulation changes next year might fall into the laps of Mercedes or at least some other team, but the brilliance of Red Bull I fear will shine through again. Hamilton's BBC article last week was quite telling. He has come to accept there is a high chance he will never win another World Championship. That for me is gutting. A driver of his obvious talent spending the rest of his career out performing a car might continue to make him a great, but I'd like to see him rewarded for his efforts. It would also be nice to see Alonso add to his tally too. I just don't want to spend the next 3 years watching another white wash. We see the odd driver stealing a win here and there and Horner claiming Red Bull are winning by the skin of their teeth, but for me there is never any doubt.

Unfortunately the FIA have asked Pirelli to produce endurance influencing tyres and the old days of the fastest drivers driving the fastest cars are long gone. It who can look after their tyres the longest and put in a fast lap here and there and for me that is boring. Get rid of shyte tyres and for goodness sake get rid of DRS! Lets get back to the old days of F3 watching Hamilton and Vettel fighting it out with every ounce of their talent. :)

[dj_bytedisaster]

Unfortunately the FIA have asked Pirelli to produce endurance influencing tyres and the old days of the fastest drivers driving the fastest cars are long gone. It who can look after their tyres the longest and put in a fast lap here and there and for me that is boring. Get rid of shyte tyres and for goodness sake get rid of DRS! Lets get back to the old days of F3 watching Hamilton and Vettel fighting it out with every ounce of their talent. :)

Unfortunately that's not going to happen, because the vertically challenged toad from Suffolk want's artificial 'show'. Even if Pirelli build kryptonite tyres next year, we'll still see Greenpeace memorial eco-runs because of the fuel limit and with Vettel not likely to lose his ability to adapt to whatever circumstances throw his way, it doesn't look likely that he'll stay away from erasing Schoe from the record books. I would hazard a guess that next year the Mercedes powered teams will have a field day, if the rumours about their engine are to be believed, but 2015 at the lastest we'll be back to a RB juggernaut. Renault aren't exactly idiots at what they do. After all between 1977 and 2013 Renault powered cars scored more poles than Ferrari powered cars between 1950 and 2013. And it was Renault, who started the first Turbo era in F1 in the late 70s, so they know a thing or twelve about them engines.

[N. Jones]

It must be personal taste. I don't get the same level of satisfaction seeing Vettel drive to an easy victory as when others do it.
I feel this way too. It's Michael all over again. :(

[Eau Rouge]

The Race! Downloaded it as live abroad and watched it in English. Fell asleep for lets say all of it apart from last 10 laps and was gutted. Not so gutted now i hear was super boring. Thanks guys!!!!

[airshifter]

Donkey for me was once again the stewards and powers that be concerning enforcement of regulations. What didn't get Grosjean and the team a penalty earlier in the year got Kimi a penalty. Four wheels off track? Might be OK, might not.... Several drivers went four wheels off during qualification, as well as during the race. Pass off track? Might be OK, might not.

Lack of consistency in enforcement makes for rules that are bent and broken on a regular basis. Make reasonable rules, and enforce them. Simple really.

[steveaki13]

If there was simple grass/grass replacement or gravel off each corner, then that would solve the issue. I am sure drivers these days would struggle on track layouts of the past when you couldn't make a mistake or you might be stuck in the sand trap These days drivers know if they push over the limit there is no problem, thus I think they have lost a certain skill.

I don't see why gravel traps were removed. Don't say safety either, because I don't remember many incidents in my 20 years of F1 that injured a driver because of the gravel.

[AndyL]

I don't see why gravel traps were removed. Don't say safety either, because I don't remember many incidents in my 20 years of F1 that injured a driver because of the gravel.

Schumacher's broken leg in 1999 was the incident that caused gravel traps to fall out of favour.

Thinking about that incident again, I'm not sure it justifies having tarmac runoff all the way round to the normal exit point of the corner. If they only put tarmac runoff from just after the turn-in point to just before the exit, it would give most of the safety benefit while not allowing any advantage to be gained from using it.

[schmenke]

Gravel runoffs were removed partly to avoid cars from becoming "beached", thus allowing them to resume the race.

[steveaki13]

I don't see why gravel traps were removed. Don't say safety either, because I don't remember many incidents in my 20 years of F1 that injured a driver because of the gravel.

Schumacher's broken leg in 1999 was the incident that caused gravel traps to fall out of favour.

Thinking about that incident again, I'm not sure it justifies having tarmac runoff all the way round to the normal exit point of the corner. If they only put tarmac runoff from just after the turn-in point to just before the exit, it would give most of the safety benefit while not allowing any advantage to be gained from using it.

This would be a sensible solution.

[steveaki13]

Gravel runoffs were removed partly to avoid cars from becoming "beached", thus allowing them to resume the race.

For me though the lack of risk (not to life but to you're race and car) from just being able to rejoin has taken away something from F1.

I personally prefer drivers having to be brave and precise in order to stay on track and I was happy to see drivers retire if they made a mistake. It rewarded those who could keep there car on the island.

That gave F1 some of the crazy results we all remember. I know rjbetty for one probably agrees with me as we have talked about it before, but F1 without retirements and mechanical failures is for me anyway. Actually less interesting.

[555-04Q2]

Gravel runoffs were removed partly to avoid cars from becoming "beached", thus allowing them to resume the race.

For me though the lack of risk (not to life but to you're race and car) from just being able to rejoin has taken away something from F1.

I personally prefer drivers having to be brave and precise in order to stay on track and I was happy to see drivers retire if they made a mistake. It rewarded those who could keep there car on the island.

That gave F1 some of the crazy results we all remember. I know rjbetty for one probably agrees with me as we have talked about it before, but F1 without retirements and mechanical failures is for me anyway. Actually less interesting.

Very true! Remember how we saw top runners getting stuck in the gravel and a mid fielder who kept it on the black stuff the whole race took, back then, the 6th place and last point? It was a great time, I even remember The Shoe at Germany getting beached in the kitty litter while the other cars swung by. Bring em back please.

To quote Jeff Bridges in TRON....chaos, good news.

[Finski]

Sucks that Kimi was out but I didn't find it boring, in fact I haven't even seen a boring F1 race before

[555-04Q2]

Sucks that Kimi was out but I didn't find it boring, in fact I haven't even seen a boring F1 race before

Maybe not boring, but there have been quite a few forgettable races. I know some people want fighting at the front to make it more exciting, but I'm as happy with a good old mid field scrap as I am with a scrap for first place. As long as the drivers are having ago at each other I don't care if they are fighting for first or last place. Good racing is good racing no matter where they are on the track :)

[steveaki13]

Yup. My thoughts exactly on both aspects.

Great battles are great battles if for 1st or 21st. For F1 and history its always nice to see a real title fight too, but not essential.

[easy rider]

Sucks that Kimi was out but I didn't find it boring, in fact I haven't even seen a boring F1 race before

Maybe not boring, but there have been quite a few forgettable races. I know some people want fighting at the front to make it more exciting, but I'm as happy with a good old mid field scrap as I am with a scrap for first place. As long as the drivers are having ago at each other I don't care if they are fighting for first or last place. Good racing is good racing no matter where they are on the track :)

I use to feel that way until I became a Hamilton fan.

[555-04Q2]

[quote=Finski]Sucks that Kimi was out but I didn't find it boring, in fact I haven't even seen a boring F1 race before

Maybe not boring, but there have been quite a few forgettable races. I know some people want fighting at the front to make it more exciting, but I'm as happy with a good old mid field scrap as I am with a scrap for first place. As long as the drivers are having ago at each other I don't care if they are fighting for first or last place. Good racing is good racing no matter where they are on the track :)

I use to feel that way until I became a Hamilton fan.[/quote:26dpq5dj]

Well not everyone is perfect ;) :D

[555-04Q2]

Yup. My thoughts exactly on both aspects.

Great battles are great battles if for 1st or 21st. For F1 and history its always nice to see a real title fight too, but not essential.

Agree. It's nice to see battles at the front, but there is also something special about watching 2 guys in the worst cars fighting over who finishes last :D

[Mia 01]

For me it was Ferrari this time, not giving Massa softs for the last stint.

[airshifter]

For me it was Ferrari this time, not giving Massa softs for the last stint.

They had no choice really Mia. The radio transmission of "Alonso is faster than you" might just be ignored these days. So a slow stop and no softs was the guarantee. :D

[555-04Q2]

For me it was Ferrari this time, not giving Massa softs for the last stint.

They had no choice really Mia. The radio transmission of "Alonso is faster than you" might just be ignored these days. So a slow stop and no softs was the guarantee. :D

Too true!!!

[henners88]

For me it was Ferrari this time, not giving Massa softs for the last stint.

They had no choice really Mia. The radio transmission of "Alonso is faster than you" might just be ignored these days. So a slow stop and no softs was the guarantee. :D
Indeed lol.
Felipe shot himself in the foot really when he said he wouldn't be helping out the team and would be racing for himself to show other teams what he can do. Unfortunately the team have other ideas and naturally want their resident driver to finish as high as possible. I really can't wait to see how Kimi fits into this next year. Alonso is hard on himself at the best of times and often hits out in frustration. I think Ferrari have quite a situation to manage next season, but you can bet Kimi's side of the garage will be as ice cold as ever! :D

[555-04Q2]

For me it was Ferrari this time, not giving Massa softs for the last stint.

They had no choice really Mia. The radio transmission of "Alonso is faster than you" might just be ignored these days. So a slow stop and no softs was the guarantee. :D
Indeed lol.
Felipe shot himself in the foot really when he said he wouldn't be helping out the team and would be racing for himself to show other teams what he can do. Unfortunately the team have other ideas and naturally want their resident driver to finish as high as possible. I really can't wait to see how Kimi fits into this next year. Alonso is hard on himself at the best of times and often hits out in frustration. I think Ferrari have quite a situation to manage next season, but you can bet Kimi's side of the garage will be as ice cold as ever! :D

It certainly is going to be a fun season for the boys in red next year! I see a couple of toys being thrown around the garage and 2 drivers that wont talk to each other after a few races! Alonso's stubborn attitude with Kimi's I don't give a feck a attitude is sure going to be explosive :p: