The stakes of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Even though both championships have been decided, this last race is not without interest. Motors Inside lists a few reasons to watch this weekend's race.
Third place in the drivers’ championship
The two Mercedes drivers are already guaranteed to finish 1st and 2nd respectively, but behind them, the battle for third place is going to be intense. It’s a showdown between two young wolves who are willing to do anything to finish ahead of the other. Max Verstappen has two advantages to secure this position. The first and most logical is simply that he has an 11-point lead over Charles Leclerc. A significant lead that will make it challenging for the Monegasque driver. The second is the strong performance of the Red Bull at Yas Marina, especially with this very powerful Honda engine, compared to a Ferrari that has been underperforming since the suspicions of cheating by the Italian team.
With 30 points behind the Dutchman, Sebastian Vettel is condemned to finish the championship at least in 4th place. A disappointment for the German driver who has experienced too many misadventures this season.
The sixth place in the drivers’ championship
The competition for the best of the rest position has never been as intense as this season. Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz, and Alexander Albon, all coming from the Red Bull program, each have something to prove. The Norman needs to show Helmut Marko that he can still be an option for the Austrian team in the future, especially after his perfect race management in Brazil. The Spaniard has been in 6th place for a long part of the championship, but he must be careful not to lose it to the Red Bull camp. After a mixed 2018 season with Renault, Sainz has continued to progress this season, and securing 6th place would prove he has dominated the midfield. On his side, Alexander Albon has had a very good debut season despite plunging into the deep end with almost no preparation. Unfortunately for the Thai driver, with an 11-point deficit to his competitors, the task ahead is daunting. All three deserve this 6th place, but only one will be able to claim it.
First podium for Alexander Albon?
After the disappointment in Brazil where Alexander Albon was hit by Lewis Hamilton in the final laps while proudly occupying second position, the Thai driver will surely give it his all to finish the season on a positive note—and what better than a podium finish? If he achieves this feat, all Red Bull family drivers would each have at least one podium to their name this season. The rookie has every reason to believe in it on paper, knowing that Red Bull has always felt comfortable in Abu Dhabi.
The battle for fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship
The top four places in the constructors’ championship are already decided, so only the fifth place remains, currently held by Renault. While Racing Point can still hope for it mathematically, on track it is almost impossible. Lawrence Stroll’s team is 24 points behind the diamond brand.
The battle is therefore shaping up between Toro Rosso, who only needs to score 8 more points to surpass them in the standings. Ranked 6th and having secured two podiums this season, the small Faenza-based team is having the best season in its history, and finishing 5th would be the highlight of this incredible 2019 campaign. The simplest way to achieve this is likely if the two future AlphaTauri finish 7th and 8th and only 1 Renault finishes in the points.
