Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: The Key Highlights

2009: a major milestone amidst regulatory revolution

In an incessant desire to reduce costs, even in the 2000s, F1 single-seaters completely changed their appearance in 2009. High and narrow rear wings, low and wide front wings, the return of slick tires and cars with a very streamlined design. Very beautiful, by the way!

This season has been surprising in more than one way, as the Ferrari-McLaren Mercedes dominance came to an end, making way for Brawn GP (which were in a way Honda) and Red Bull, which claimed its first victories.

A surprising campaign, an insane setting: Abu Dhabi Marina took the place of Sao Paulo for the final round of the World Championship. The desert backdrop and the grand luxury embodied by the hotel, overlooking the track, gave Formula 1 a whole new setting. It was the late Philippe Gurdjian’s masterpiece.

The race itself revealed several notable events: first and foremost, the debut of a newcomer in F1, Kamui Kobayashi, who was racing for Toyota (the Japanese manufacturer would be leaving the following season). Kobayashi finished 6th in a race that was led at a high pace, and he gained Sauber’s trust for the following year.

At the front, while Vettel was soaring towards another victory, the world champion Jenson Button and his Brawn were pitted against Mark Webber on the second Red Bull. A superb duel in the final laps, from which the Australian emerged as the winner, before the crazy season that would follow in 2010.

2010: Crazy Final!

In the series of crazy seasons, we commonly think of 2021. But we would almost forget about certain editions that offered immense moments of happiness and sports.

They were not two, nor three, but five drivers who were mathematically in the running for the title! The F1 had rarely seen this before. Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso (who was leading the championship before Abu Dhabi), Mark Webber (who had lost his chances in South Korea), as well as Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

But the true duel was undoubtedly the Vettel-Alonso match: the McLaren-Mercedes had to win and hope for a major underperformance from their rivals. Failed: Vettel emerged victorious with complete ease, while Fernando Alonso fell victim to his team’s strategy.

The Spaniard remained stuck behind Vitaly Petrov’s Renault for 40 laps, while he was in 5th place. Alonso absolutely had to get back on the podium, but he never found a way past the Russian. This unlikely scenario gave Vettel his first title, as he did exactly what he needed to do, while the Ferrari Matador cursed Petrov as much as he could during the victory lap.

2012: Leave me alone!

Two years later, the Emirati leg handed over the season’s final to Sao Paulo. The choice was the right one as the 2012 season was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and exciting in history.

Seven different winners in the first seven Grand Prix races, a new multiple-way title fight, and nearly all the cars capable of winning…writing this paragraph brings back joyful memories! Maldonado’s victory, Perez’s missed opportunity with Sauber, and Hulkenberg’s almost-win in Brazil…what a delight!

In Abu Dhabi, Alonso and Vettel were the only two who still had a chance to become world champions. And the referee of the day was a certain Kimi Räikkönen, who returned to Lotus after two years of racing in WRC.

The Finn was at the top of his game, both in his driving skills and in his character, which was so beloved for his quick wit.

The 2007 world champion offered a radio exchange that still brings the same smile, eleven years later. His engineer was giving him instructions and the gaps, to which he responded twice during the race. « Leave me alone, I know what I’m doing » and « yes, yes, yes, I (take care of my tires) all the time, you don’t need to repeat it every time. »

At the end, Kimi Räikkönen treated himself to a victory of outspokenness, making everyone turn away from political correctness. He delighted the spectators with more gems on the radio, which is why he was so well-liked, apart from being a great driver. Retirement is more than deserved!

2018: Goodbye Alonso!

The 2018 season marked the second act of a showdown between Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari’s new golden boy, and Lewis Hamilton, undefeated three times champion in four years.

The British had won his 4th world title in Mexico a few weeks earlier and arrived in Abu Dhabi with a peaceful mind. He even prevailed effortlessly.

But all eyes were on Fernando Alonso: at the time, the Spanish driver had announced that he would leave Formula 1, after having experienced victorious 24 Hours of Le Mans that same year with Toyota. His struggles with McLaren had taken a toll on his motivation.

His last race with the Woking team was hailed as it should be: the three world champions on the grid gathered on the pit straight for a ballet of donuts as a tribute. A beautiful image, thinking that Alonso would never come back. If only we had known!

2021: the incredible has happened

Do we really need to go over the history of this crazy Grand Prix again? Two drivers tied in points at the dawn of the final Grand Prix, an epic overtaking move by Verstappen on Hamilton on the first lap, and then that legendary (and controversial) final lap, with the decisions of the FIA.

Never before had a world championship title been directly contested between two candidates in the final round. And just for that reason, it is appropriate to say that the images are worth much more than long lyrical flights: here’s the race summary.