[ad_1]
We’re finally at it – the 2022 Formula 1 finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. With 21 races to go this year, Williams has just one weekend left to wrap up the season.
Seeing the final checkered flag of the year is a familiar setting for F1, with Yas Marina Circuit hosting the season 10 finale on our 14th visit to Yas Island.
It’s the last of 2022 and here’s everything you need to know about this weekend’s Grand Prix.
track the facts
Plans for a race in Abu Dhabi began in the mid-2000s when the emirate first considered developing an area about 20 kilometers east of Abu Dhabi city centre. There are theme parks, marinas and hotels near Yas Island, with the main focus being the Yas Marina Circuit, which first hosted F1 in 2009.
The circuit became Formula 1’s first day-night grand prix, with floodlights illuminating the original 21-corner layout from lights to flags. Last year, we redesigned and reworked Turn 5 and most of the second section, reducing the lap length to 5.281km with 16 corners remaining.
Abu Dhabi hosted the end-of-season Grand Prix on its debut before taking over the grand finale for a long time from 2014 onwards. Last year, the track was awarded the contractual rights to continue as a closing event until 2030 at the earliest.
With the 1.2 kilometer straight after the hairpin at Turn 5, there will always be overtaking in the first half of the track. A chicane splits what would otherwise be a full-throttle corner into Turn 9, and two DRS zones facilitate wheel-to-wheel action.
Surrounding (and covering) the track are several features that make Yas Marina a must-see venue for any F1 fan. Winding around the eponymous Yas Marina, Sector 3 is home to the instantly recognizable W Abu Dhabi hotel, which crosses the track between Turns 13 and 14. Meanwhile, the indoor Ferrari World theme park is behind the grandstands at Turn 5.
What are the drivers saying?
It will be an exciting race for Nicky, whose time at Williams Racing will come to an end when the race is over: “I’m going into my last race weekend with the team and Formula 1, So I hope to enjoy as much as I can.
“I’ll be sitting out of FP1 this weekend, but since we’re qualifying and racing in the evening, it won’t make a big difference.
“It’s sad to play the last game, but it’s been a great three years at Williams with a lot of ups and downs. Hopefully I can end the season on the highest note possible.”
For Alex, Abu Dhabi represented the end of his first season back in Formula 1. Albono, who received a P4 on his previous visit to Yas Marina, is looking forward to returning to Abu Dhabi:
“It’s the last game of the season so we’ll see how the week goes and obviously want to end on a high note and give everyone some motivation over the winter.
“This track should suit us better than the last two races, and it’s Nikki’s last race with the team. Hopefully we can all give him a good race.”
unlock your driver card
Officially a part of the Williams team!
Logan has had a busy few days in the Middle East. Our American F2 racer will again race the FW44 in FP1 and race the last two races of Formula 2 before further familiarizing himself with F1 mechanics in the post-season youth driver test, but he’s enjoying the challenge:
“I’m looking forward to the last free practice session of the year and then the young driver test at Williams.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to spend so much time driving the FW44 over four weekends of racing.
“In these sessions I learned a lot about the new generation of cars compared to the car I drove in the Young Driver Test last year.
“Apart from FP1 this weekend, my focus is on my final race of the Formula 2 season and I want to finish as strong as possible.”
from the pit wall
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is ​​not only the end of the season for our drivers, but also the end of the season. It was also the last time Dave Robson, head of vehicle performance at Williams Racing, had to prepare two FW44s for a race:
“The final race of the season will be in Abu Dhabi and we want to do well in 2022 and start preparing for 2023.
“Logan will drive the FW44 again, this time in Nicholas’ FP1 car. He will then spend a full day in one of the cars in Tuesday’s playoff test.
“His main focus this weekend is his season finale in F2, but his time in F1 will be invaluable as he continues to prepare for the future.
PWP: Would you say right?
Play our free games before lights out!
“Alex will be driving the other car in the post-season test, both cars will be running 2023 Pirelli tires and gain some important experience which will help guide our preparations for the 2023 Bahrain pre-season test.
“Abu Dhabi should be a better fit for FW44 than Interlagos and we are eager to end the season on a strong note.
“Pirelli provided the softest compound in their range for this race, and once the track is cleared and we go into the evening, those compounds should work well.”
did you know?
Our best result at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was in 2014, when Felipe Massa’s P2 and Valtteri Bottas’ P3 both made the podium for Williams.
In that 2014 race, Williams also became the highest-scoring team in a single race with 66 points, as the Grand Prix became the only race in F1 history to score double points.
The designer chose a shade of blue for the track and many runoff area branding to match the color of the local waters around Yas Island.
As well as driving under the hotel bridge for the only time on the calendar, F1 drivers will also find themselves leaving the pit lane below the Abu Dhabi circuit – another unique feature of the Yas Marina circuit.
The development of Yas Island, where the track is located, cost about 40 billion US dollars, and now has water parks, shopping malls, nightclubs, golf courses, etc. for tourists to entertain.
join the team
Sign up to unlock your own driver card and be the first to know about all the latest Williams Racing news and announcements.
[ad_2]
Source link