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Formula One will roar one last time in 2018, with the season set to conclude this weekend in the twilight of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Join The Roar for a live blog of the race, starting from 12:10am AEDT.
With both championships decided, there are only minor placings on the line upon this visit to the 5.5km Yas Marina Circuit, amongst those there is the coveted fourth place in the constructor’s standings and even third position overall in the driver’s championship.
World champions Mercedes AMG arrive to this overly technical Abu Dhabi track as having been unbeaten at this venue in the hybrid era.
Locking out the front-row of the grid with Lewis Hamilton claiming an eleventh pole of the season, ahead by only two-tenths of a second of teammate Valtteri Bottas, shows that the Silver Arrows’ intention is to keep that streak going.
Whether Mercedes AMG will follow up on their promise to ensure the luckless Bottas a victory before season’s end, remains to be seen and will be known at the conclusion of the 55-lap race.
Ferrari will line up on the second row headed by Sebastian Vettel, with the stat of never having won before in Abu Dhabi since its 2009 inception. Vettel himself is a three-time winner of the event, though his team have had little luck.
Daniel Ricciardo leads an all Red Bull third row, in what is his final race for the energy drinks company, before switching to Renault. Does the Aussie dare to dream for a podium? Which has eluded him since Monaco.
The top five will all start on the ultrasoft tyres, having set their fastest Q2 laps on that compound. Max Verstappen from sixth will be out of sync with the leaders’ strategies, as he was forced onto the hypersoft during Q2.
Best of the rest was Romain Grosjean in the Haas, leading Charles Leclerc who made another Q3 appearance in the Sauber.
Behind them is Esteban Ocon, who will make his final start for Force India and will be under pressure to outscore Sauber – who have the potential to overhaul Force India for seventh in the constructors’.
The likes of Carlos Sainz, Marcus Ericsson and Kevin Magnussen just outside the top ten should be able to benefit from a free choice of tyre at the start – giving them more flexible strategy options.
So, another battle amongst the big three of Formula One is set and the familiar Mercedes juggernaut is at the helm.
Tune in on The Roar from 12:10am AEST for live blog coverage of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as Formula One gets set to go racing one last time in 2018.
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