FORMULA 1 - 2010

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Bridgestone: Our final race will be emotional

After fourteen continuous seasons at the pinnacle of international motorsport, Bridgestone makes its final Formula One appearance at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

At the end of this race, Bridgestone will have contested a total of 242 Grands Prix since making its full time F1 entry at the Australian Grand Prix in 1997. There will have been 175 wins, 168 pole positions and eleven drivers’ and constructors’ championships attained with Bridgestone Potenza tyres.

“Abu Dhabi is likely to be an emotional weekend for everyone at Bridgestone Motorsport as this will be our final race,” says Hiroshi Yasukawa, Director of Bridgestone Motorsport.

“I have been involved in Bridgestone’s motorsport operations since our very first limited entry in the 1976 and 1977 Japanese Grands Prix and pushed hard for our full time entry which finally came in 1997.

“In this time Bridgestone has grown enormously as a company, with Formula 1 showcasing our company’s strength and qualities on a world stage to an enormous audience.

“I have attended well over 200 races myself and have made so many good relationships with the participants in this wonderful sport. Next year will be very different for me and for all of my Bridgestone Motorsport colleagues.”

Bridgestone’s primary reason for its F1 entry was to enhance its brand awareness, and for this to be effective, Bridgestone’s Formula 1 tyres had to demonstrate strong performance. In charge of the technical development over Bridgestone’s 14 years in F1 is Director of Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development, Hirohide Hamashima.

“Formula 1 was a big challenge for our company,” says Hamashima.

“We entered the sport in 1997 against a very experienced competitor in Goodyear, who had contested so many races before, yet we were able to be competitive in our first season, even when most of the front-running teams were running on our rival’s products.

“We scored points in our first race and the first Bridgestone podium came in our second race. We even came very close to a win with Damon Hill in the Arrows Yamaha at Hungary so this was a very good debut for us.”

Goodyear left Formula 1 at the end of 1998, leaving Bridgestone as the sole supplier.

“Our initial entry to Formula 1 came a year earlier than initially planned and after just two seasons in the sport we had to supply the entire field,” explains Peter Grzelinski Bridgestone Motorsport Service Manager.

“This was a big challenge for us, but Bridgestone responded well. We had two seasons where we could refine all our practices and methodology before the next challenge came.”

In 2001 Michelin entered Formula 1 as a rival tyre supplier to Bridgestone, and a period of intense competition followed.

“From 2001 to 2006 we battled hard with Michelin,” says Hamashima. “Our engineers in Japan and at the track were dedicated to winning and we learnt so many things in this period.”

Bridgestone tyres shod the constructors’ and drivers’ champions four times in this period, whilst Michelin tyres equipped the winning constructors’ and drivers’ champions twice.

After Michelin’s departure at the end of the 2006 season, Bridgestone was the sole tyre supplier in 2007, before being appointed as the Official Tyre Supplier to the FIA Formula One World Championship for 2008 – 2010.

“Our second period of being the only tyre supplier in Formula 1 was characterised by intensely close championship battles,” says Hamashima.

“We concentrated on our quality control to ensure that the tyres supplied to all teams were the same, allowing these close championship battles, which provided a fantastic spectacle for Formula 1 fans around the world.”

Whilst 2010 is the final season for Bridgestone in Formula 1, the legacy left for the company is enormous.

“Bridgestone has gained significantly from our involvement in this fabulous sport,” says Yasukawa. “But we have also tried to benefit society as a whole by working with the sport’s governing body, the FIA, with its road safety and environmental campaigns. We hope everyone will enjoy our final Grand Prix as much as we do.”

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Toro Rosso pick Vergne for test

Jean-Eric Vergne will get his first taste of Formula One action when he takes part in the young drivers test for Toro Rosso in Abu Dhabi.

The 20-year-old Frenchman is a member of the Red Bull Young Driver programme and took part in the British International Formula 3 Championship this year.

"I am delighted to be given this fantastic opportunity and would like to thank Red Bull and Scuderia Toro Rosso," he said. "To date, my only experience behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car has been driving the Red Bull Racing car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

"Apart from that, I have spent a lot of time in their simulator, providing feedback during the Grand Prix weekends. I am looking forward to these two days in Abu Dhabi and hope there will be other opportunities to drive an F1 car in the future."

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A lap of Yas Marina with Kubica

Renault's Robert Kubica takes us around the Yas Marina Circuit ahead of this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

"The Abu Dhabi track has an amazing appearance and it comes across very well on television. The hotel that is lit up in different colours looks spectacular and you can tell that a lot of money has been invested in this facility. When I walked the track for the first time last year, I thought it would offer a lot of overtaking opportunities, but actually there was a lot less action in the race than I expected.

"Having lots of wide run-off areas definitely doesn't help overtaking because it's much easier to defend your position. You know that even if you miss your braking point, you won't lose anything because you can cut the corner and stay ahead. Of course, you cannot do it every lap, but if there was a wall or a gravel trap instead, it might give the driver behind a better chance to overtake. But it can also work the other way, too, because the guy who is attacking can risk much more in the braking zones knowing that he has an escape path if the manoeuvre doesn't work out.

"One of the things I find annoying about this track is the number of off-camber corners, such as turns 16 and 17. In these corners it's very easy to get on the power and then lose traction and slide with the rear of the car, which can cost you a lot of time. So it's a very tricky track.

"The race starts in the early evening, so you have to change your visor strip to be ready for racing at dusk. The other issue I remember from last year was that we had all three practice sessions in daylight and then both qualifying and the race took place at dusk. That made it hard because the temperatures dropped and the track conditions were completely different, which had a big impact on car balance. But now we have the experience from last year and we know to make set-up changes to prepare for running in the evening.

"Although Abu Dhabi is the final race of the year, it doesn't mean we're all going on holiday as soon as it's over. A few days after the race all the teams will remain in Abu Dhabi for the first test on the new Pirelli tyres as we begin our preparations for 2011."

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Season finale in UAE a sell-out

If you were hoping to buy a last-minute ticket to watch the season finale in Abu Dhabi then you are out of luck as the race is a sell-out.

With the 2010 season set for an exciting conclusion at the Yas Marina Circuit, fans have snapped up all the tickets three days before race weekend.

The Drivers' Championship will decided on Sunday with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, the Red Bull duo of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel, and Lewis Hamilton of McLaren still in with a chance of winning the title.

Richard Cregan, chief Executive Officer of Yas Marina Circuit, says a change in their ticket price structure was one of the reasons why it's a sell-out.

"We are delighted to have sold out all our tickets for the second year running," said

"Our inaugural event last year also sold out, and we worked hard to create an attractive package which we believe will result in a fantastic experience for our fans.

"It's unprecedented to have four drivers in contention for the Driver's title in the final race. I think it is a very fitting end to what has been an amazing F1 season. We are very proud here in Abu Dhabi to be staging the race and to know that we will see the crowning of the 2010 World Champion.

"One factor helping ticket sales this year was charging one flat price for all grandstand seats, regardless of where they are. Another was expanding our oasis areas so we could provide a wider variety of entertainment and leisure activities, including our new Kartzone which will open for the race weekend."

The venue, which has a capacity of 50 000 was also sold out for last year's inaugural Abu Dhabi GP.

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Whitmarsh under fire?

McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh "is a man under pressure" as his outfit stares another trophy-less season in the face, according to David Coulthard.

The Woking squad, who last won the Constructors' Championship in 1998, are likely to finish 2010 empty-handed as Red Bull have already wrapped up the team title while Lewis Hamilton needs a miracle to win finish first in the Drivers' standings.

It will be a difficult pill to swallow for the outfit as the season promised so much after they won four of the first eight races, including three 1-2 finishes. However, they fell behind in the last few races as Red Bull and Ferrari stepped up the pressure.

Whitmarsh has admitted they didn't develop their MP4-25 quickly enough this year, telling Autosport "we have had a few mistakes and we have not developed the car quickly enough. But we will keep pushing and we will see what we can do at the next race".

Despite promises to fight until the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, former McLaren driver Coulthard says there are whispers that Whitmarsh, who took over from Ron Dennis as team boss last year, is under fire.

'I have heard a few people mention, erroneously in my opinion, that team principal Martin Whitmarsh is a man under pressure but as far as I know he does not design or drive the car," Coulthard wrote in his Telegraph column.

'Sure, as captain of the ship Martin must shoulder his share of the responsibility. And I know that after taking over from Ron Dennis at the start of last season he is desperate for some success in his own name.

'But I believe he has done very well in his two years at the helm. McLaren recovered from an appalling start in 2009, from a car point of view, to end the year the fastest on track. This year once again they have thrown their considerable resources at development and worked tirelessly to close the gap to Red Bull.

'Martin has cajoled, supported both drivers equally, created a superb team spirit and said all the right things. It just hasn't quite come off. The car is still the third quickest out there and maybe it has just been a case of coming up against a machine inspired by Adrian Newey, Red Bull's chief technical officer.'

MIKA: Would have been great to see more of mcLaren however with Lewis still technically 'In it' even if by a miracle which can happen, I think Whitmarsh has done a great job this season. Someone has to win, someone has to lose IMO.... 2011 will be a great year for McLaren.

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Button turns his focus to 2011

Outgoing Formula One World Champion Jenson Button is already burning with hunger to reclaim the title next year.

Button effectively relinquished his crown on Sunday in Brazil when he could finish no higher than fifth, with the other four remaining contenders all ahead of him on the track.

It means for the final time this season in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, Button will sport the number one on his McLaren following a debut year with the team he has largely enjoyed, even if he feels he has let himself down on occasion.

"This has been a good season and a lot of stuff we've done this year we'll gain a lot of experience for next season," said Button.

"The car is a good car, but there are areas where we still need to improve, we know that, and it's about making sure we do improve those areas for next year.

"So it's going to be an exciting winter. I'm looking forward to it."

But asked if he had passed his own expectations, Button replied: "I don't think I have.

"I've had some pretty bad Saturdays (with regard to qualifying), and that's been my weakness this year.

"The races have been good, but I've always had to fight my way through.

"Saturday is a day where I've not had a car that I've been happy with, confident with, more often than not.

"That's something we've sat down and spoken about, and something we need to work on for next year.

"Overall it's positive, and I think we know what we have to do to help me in that area."

After taking two victories in the first four grands prix, Button remained a challenger for the first two thirds of the season.

It was only after being speared by Vettel in Belgium that it started to fall away, despite him finishing a creditable second in Italy in the subsequent race.

As Button states, though, qualifying has been his bete noir during the course of the season, and notably he has started behind team-mate Hamilton in 13 of the 18 races.

But despite many people warning him against joining McLaren in the first place, Button insists he has had "a good year" as Champion.

"It hasn't just been about me being World Champion, it was about me making one of the biggest changes of my life, in my career," added the 30-year-old.

"It was a hell of a challenge, a risk that a lot of people thought was the wrong one, but I needed to change my direction and this was the right place for me.

"I definitely chose the right team because I feel very at home here.

"I've possibly the toughest driver as a team-mate, but that drives you on and pushes you harder than you've ever been pushed before.

"I admit it's not been the perfect season, but it's been a good season, a great base for 2011.

"I feel I'm part of this team and hopefully part of their future as well, and although I'll no longer have number one on my car after this weekend, it just means I'll be even hungrier to get it back next year."

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Whitmarsh: Race until the last corner

McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh is adamant no-one within his team has given up hope of Lewis Hamilton taking this year's title.

Following Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix, in which Hamilton was a disappointing fourth to leave himself 24 points behind leader Fernando Alonso, the 25-year-old claimed he now needed "a miracle" if he was to again become Champion.

Hamilton's sentiment is understandable when you consider that ahead of the climax to the season in Abu Dhabi this Sunday he has to win, hope Alonso is out of the points and that Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel are no higher than sixth and third respectively.

Such a scenario is more than just a tall order, but after witnessing Hamilton's remarkable 2008 title triumph when he claimed the crown on the final corner of the last lap of the last race in Brazil, Whitmarsh will continue to dream of the improbable.

"It's not over yet. My feeling is you race to the last corner of any Championship," said Whitmarsh.

"To go into the last race still in the hunt with Lewis means we're going there to try to win.

"Things can happen, as we've seen before in the last corners of the final races of grands prix, so it's still doable, and if that's the case then you carry on still fighting for it.

"We will push hard and see what we can do. It's tough, but winning any World Championship is tough, and whilst it's mathematically possible, you keep pushing."

Regardless of the outcome, Whitmarsh believes the current campaign has been one of the best in the sport's history, and for all the right reasons.

"In my view there has never been this depth of quality in the teams and drivers all fighting for a Championship," said Whitmarsh.

"I hope people do appreciate what a fantastic Championship it has been.

"The season has not finished yet, but it has gone by without all the normal dramas that are usually written about in the paddock.

"This season people have written about the contest between the teams and drivers, and that's been really exciting and refreshing."

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Branson sells Virgin shares to Russians

Virgin Racing has secured its future for 2011 and beyond after strengthening its links with a nascent Russian sportscar company.

Marussia Motors joined forces with Virgin last year in a minor sponsorship role, but the Moscow-based manufacturer has now taken up a significant shareholding.

Following a turbulent debut season for the team, owner Sir Richard Branson said: "Our first year in Formula One was always going to be tough, even more so as we were launching in the midst of a worldwide recession.

"Virgin is now delighted to have secured a partner which shares our vision and spirit for challenging the establishment.

"We can look forward to working together to move the team up the Formula One grid."

After signing a four-year deal from 2011 the team will be known as Marussia Virgin Racing as the country continues to make significant inroads into F1.

A year ago Russia had no links with the sport, but first Renault signed Vitaly Petrov and he has since attracted sponsors such as Lada, as well as a vodka and shipyard company.

Only a few weeks ago F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone finally secured a deal with Russia to hold a grand prix, hopefully from 2014 in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Marussia founder Nikolay Fomenko said: "This is the realisation of a dream for us.

"In manufacturing, launching and promoting our cars, we will now have a Formula One team to promote these activities and demonstrate to the world that a new car manufacturer has arrived from Russia with truly international ambitions."

MIKA: This really is great news for Formula 1 in Russia and Russia in Formula 1!

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Newey urges duo to be 'magnanimous'

Red Bull technical chief Adrian Newey has urged Sebastian Vettel to be "magnanimous" should he find himself in a position where he can help Mark Webber become Formula One World Champion.

Newey has been the brains behind Red Bull's astonishing rise over the last six years, the team emerging from the wreckage of Jaguar's failure to become Constructors' Champions.

But with one race remaining in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, for Newey the crowning glory to a remarkable year would be to see either Webber or Vettel clinch the Drivers' crown.

Webber stands eight points behind Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, with Vettel 15 points back, guaranteeing a pulsating end to the season.

One of the major talking points, though, is whether Vettel will aid Webber's cause should he be in a position to do so, and so prevent Alonso from winning his third World Championship.

"We've always said we would leave the drivers to it. It's a Drivers' Championship, and that's how it should be," said Newey.

"We would honestly like to win both (titles) if we possibly could, and if we're in a position where we can win the drivers', that is what we must do now.

"Ultimately, if one of the drivers is out if it, then I hope he would be magnanimous enough to help the other."

Despite the friction that has existed between Webber and Vettel this season, highlighted by fall-outs such as after their crash in Turkey, Newey feels the team have acted fairly with both drivers.

"They have pushed each other hard, which is good, a little bit too hard once or twice, but overall we're very happy," added Newey.

"At the end of the day it is a Drivers' Championship and that means there shouldn't be team orders."

In helping Red Bull clinch the Constructors' title, Newey has now completed a stunning hat-trick after previously designing race and title-winning cars with Williams and McLaren.

From virtually nothing with Red Bull, however, his sentiments after this success were understandable.

"Williams and McLaren had already won Championships as they were well established teams, so this one is certainly very special," said Newey.

"To join Red Bull and develop the car from what was Jaguar, from a mid-field runner to where we are now, is fantastic.

"In a way I've had to pinch myself because when I joined we had aspirations, but having those and achieving it are two different things.

"I still can't quite believe it, and to get both would be amazing. We can but hope, but what can you do.

"The car has proved itself to be capable of it, but we've had some bad luck here and there."

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Force India preview the Abu Dhabi GP

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal: I'm very proud that we are going to the final round of the 2010 championship fighting for sixth position in the constructors' championship. When we look back to where we were 12 months back, and when I think we only created Force India three seasons ago, we've progressed a great deal. We've built a very competitive car that has been in the points 15 times, four of which in the top six, been in Q3 nine times and has matched the pace of the larger and more established teams. It's a credit to the hard work of the team in Silverstone and Brackley who have worked so hard on a tight budget with relatively small resources. We've really earned our stripes this year and deserve to show that in the final standings.

Abu Dhabi would be a fitting place to secure our highest-ever finish in the championship. The event was fantastic last year, a really impressive facility with great atmosphere and the sight of the cars under the lights was, for me, one of the highlights of the year. There's a huge Indian community in the country and we had a lot of support last year so it would be a fitting place to finish the job.

Adrian Sutil: I was really pleased with our race performance last weekend in Brazil. The pace was good and I enjoyed the race. We could move up 10 positions and I was setting lap times that were pretty similar to the top ten so we showed that the performance is still there, we just need to work on qualifying.

Abu Dhabi is a very impressive venue to have a race. The city is ultra modern and there's always something new being built that's bigger and better than anything we've seen! The Yas Marina circuit is similarly very high tech, with one of the best paddocks we visit in terms of the facilities and the style. The track has a lot of the Tilke trademarks such as the hairpins and long straights so there's a few overtaking places. With the championship being so close we are sure to see a very exciting race.

I'm really motivated to help the team to sixth in the championship now, the best result we've had in a long time. I also want to get back into the top ten in the drivers' championship ahead of Rubens [barrichello]. Michael [schumacher] seems to be quite far away now but I think we can take Rubens for tenth. We made some good progress on the car in Brazil with the development parts and have some further bits to test in Abu Dhabi so it's very positive going into this final round of what's been a great season so far.

Tonio Liuzzi: Abu Dhabi is going to be a really exciting event for everybody - there are so many battles up and down the field that it's going to be a great race to watch. Certainly for us it's going to be interesting as we are fighting with Williams for sixth place in the championship. We fell one point behind in Brazil but that is a slim margin with so many points available.

The Yas Marina circuit is a fantastic facility, quite unlike any of the other tracks on the calendar. The paddock is very impressive and the atmosphere was good last year. The circuit itself is quite a typical modern layout with right angle corners and longish straights leading into tight hairpins. It's not the most challenging we visit but there are still some interesting features, including the fact that we run under the lights. We start at sunset and finish in the dark, but as in Singapore the organisers have done a good job to install a fantastic light system.

Last year we had a difficult race and only finished in 15th, but this year we have to look to finish in the points to take the fight to Williams again. The last race in Brazil was positive from the pace point of view but unfortunately I didn't finish as something broke on the car and we crashed about two thirds of the way through. We've looked into why and are confident it won't happen again this race so we can fully focus on sealing our best-ever result in the championship.

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Hispania preview the Abu Dhabi GP

Colin Kolles, Team Principal: “We are pleased to come to the finale of our first season in Formula 1. The race in Abu Dhabi takes place at the spectacular Yas Marina Circuit, which calls out a street section, the marina section and a high-speed section around the colour-changing Yas Hotel. The exit from the pit-lane through the tunnel is quite tricky and could easily cause a traffic jam. After a tight hairpin, the drivers encounter one of the longest straights in F1 and can reach 320km/h before braking hard for the chicane. After a positive result in Brazil, we are eager to keep on closing the gap to the other new teams and fight for positions with them.”

Christian Klien: “I’m looking forward the last race of 2010 in Abu Dhabi. It’s my third chance to compete for the team this season and I’m getting more and more used to the car and the crew. I hope we can achieve some great results and have a clean weekend. It will be my first time at this modern racetrack that combines very long straights with a technical slow part with not many runoff areas. There are basically two very different sections, so you need a good top speed for the long straights as well as some downforce and mechanical grip for the slow section. A further difficulty is the visibility, as the race starts at 5pm. We should have a similar pace to the one in Brazil, so I think we can be a challenge for the new teams.”

Bruno Senna: “I’m really excited for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix because it’s one of the circuits I know and like even if I have never raced there before. I did some laps with a two-seater F1 car and it is a good circuit with some demanding technical sections. There is a mix of slow camber corners and some interesting long straights that could allow overtaking. The car must be set up well for corner exits and slow corners. Following Interlagos, where we had a very competitive race, we expect to finish the season on a high here in Abu Dhabi, competing with the other new teams again.”

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McLaren preview the Abu Dhabi GP

Jenson Button: "Obviously, it was disappointing to be ruled out of the drivers' championship in Brazil last week, but I was very pleased with my race, which was a lot of fun, and I'm already looking forward to another good performance this weekend.

"Last year in Abu Dhabi, I had a similarly great result - I'd lifted the pressure of the championship from my shoulders at the previous race so I was free to race hard once again. I had a great drive, enjoyed a brilliant battle with Mark [Webber] right up until the very last lap, and finished on the podium.

"I'll be hoping for another strong finish this year. Most importantly, it will be my final race with the world champion's number one on my car, for this year anyway! It's been a great privilege and honour to carry that throughout the entire year, and I want to make sure I give it the best possible send-off this weekend.

"I'm looking forward to a really great race and, hopefully, a spectacular conclusion to the world championship."

Lewis Hamilton: "I've been in the hunt for the world championship at the final race of the season on two previous occasions, so I know all about the pressure you feel when the title is almost within touching distance.

"This year, it feels a little different – although I'm still mathematically in with a shout, I'm fully aware that, being 24 points behind, I'll not only need to win the race on Sunday but see the championship leader finish outside the points. And, even then, that might not be enough. So I'm not feeling the pressure in quite the same way as I did in 2007 or 2008.

"That's not to say I'm going into the race weekend feeling any less determined or motivated: we've seen before that this championship can be unpredictable and volatile – and I think this last race of the year could be even more unpredictable than normal.

"I know from personal experience that the championship isn't over until you cross the line on the final lap – so I'll not only make sure I'm up there at the end, but pushing hard until the very end.

"It's going to be a brilliant spectacle, and a great event for Formula 1 fans around the world – I absolutely can't wait."

Martin Whitmarsh: "While it was deeply frustrating for every single one of us to finally be ruled out of the hunt for the constructors' championship in Brazil last weekend, we're all absolutely determined to hold on to second position, and to extend the gap over third-placed Ferrari.

"Both Jenson and Lewis drove absolutely superb races at Interlagos, and the reality is that another double points-finish would likely push us beyond the reach of our closest rivals.

"Even more importantly, we are still in the hunt for the drivers' championship with Lewis, albeit by the very narrow margin of a single point. Nonetheless, we all know that Lewis is a fearsome competitor and is absolutely fired-up to secure a second world title.

"Indeed, let's not forget that Lewis has gone into the final round of the season in the hunt for the title in three of his four Formula 1 seasons – a quite incredible record. And, knowing Lewis as I do, he will be absolutely determined to drive a relentless race in order to pressure his rivals as much as possible in order to maximise his position.

"For this final race, the team's role is simple: we must provide Lewis with the support he needs to sustain his title challenge – that will call for faultless reliability, a slick and decisive strategic plan and perfectly executed pitstops from his pit crew. It may sound like a long-shot, but I'm absolutely convinced that Lewis, Jenson, and Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, will all be players in what promises to be an absolutely enthralling world championship showdown."

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Mercedes preview the Abu Dhabi GP

Nico Rosberg: "I really enjoyed our first visit to the Yas Marina Circuit at the end of last season. The track is interesting to drive with a unique layout with the unusual pit lane exit and the day/night programme makes a change from the usual format of a race weekend. It was good to be back in the points in Brazil last Sunday and we hope to finish the season with another good result here before looking ahead to next season which will definitely be stronger for us."

Michael Schumacher: "We had quite an encouraging weekend in Sao Paulo, even if it did not show too much to the outside, as our pace in qualifying and the race was satisfying. The final race weekend in Abu Dhabi will be exciting for me as I will be driving this impressive circuit for the first time. Obviously the main focus of the fans and the media will be on the championship fight so we will be able to work calmly and concentrate on our own weekend. I'm sure that everyone in the team is motivated to deliver a good last performance of the season."

Ross Brawn: "The final race of the 2010 season takes us to the home Grand Prix for our Abu Dhabi based shareholders and partner Aabar. We were extremely impressed with the Yas Marina Circuit on our first visit and look forward to an exciting weekend which will see the battle for the Drivers' Championship concluded. For the Mercedes GP Petronas team, on the back of our double-points finish in Brazil, we would like to finish this challenging season on an equally strong note before turning our attentions fully to next year."

Norbert Haug: "We are all looking forward to a thrilling final race of a great season which still sees four drivers with a chance of competing for the championship. Abu Dhabi is one of our team's home races as our shareholder and partner, Aabar, have their headquarters here. Our team will not be taking anything for granted and our target is to achieve the best possible result with our current technical package. As in recent races, we want to be right there if a driver in one of the currently faster cars should have a problem. It would be a nice reward for the team to conclude this very long and tough season, which saw everyone give their all, with a reasonable result."

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Lotus preview the Abu Dhabi GP

Fairuz Fauzy (driving in place of Heikki Kovalainen in FP1): “I’m looking forward to getting back in the car and I think it will be a very special atmosphere, on track and in the garage. The twilight running obviously makes the race very interesting, but as I’ll be going out in FP1 the real challenge for me is to try and push on what will be a very green track. I’ve spent a bit of time in a simulator to prepare for the run on Friday, but it will obviously be different when I get out on the real thing.”

Heikki Kovalainen: “Abu Dhabi is a great track and I like the fact we race in the fading light. I think it will be a good fight up at the front, and for us it’s the end of a very long, but so far very rewarding season. Everyone in the team has done really well all year, pushing us along to where we are now, and this weekend is all about maintaining concentration and giving it one final effort before we start focusing entirely on next year. I’m excited about the race and I think we’ll be in good shape to keep up the pressure on the guys around us.”

Jarno Trulli: “It’s the last race but for me it’s still all about getting my car across the finish line with Heikki so we can tie up tenth place. The track isn’t a huge challenge – it’s not as rewarding to drive on as somewhere like Brazil, but we’ll be ok there as our car should be pretty much as far ahead of those around us as we have been in the last few races.”

Mike Gascoyne: “Down to the last race and I don’t think we could be going there in any better shape. Abu Dhabi should be another track where we can take the fight to our nearest rivals, and all season long we have seen that the investment in experience throughout the whole team has held us in very good stead in our first season. You could see in Brazil that both Heikki and Jarno were able to pull away from Timo throughout the race, and that is down to excellent work all year by the team at the track and the factory, and in the two cockpits, and we are aiming for that to be repeated at the last race. The goal is obviously to finish tenth, and we would like to do that in the same style we have shown all season - by beating those around us, so everyone will be putting in one last big effort to repay the faith shown in us by our fans all year and everyone who has helped us reach this point of the season.”

Tony Fernandes: “As we approach the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix I feel a great sense of accomplishment and delivery. In just one year we have delivered a team that has presented itself and behaved like one that has been racing for a long time. We made the bold decision to bring in two experienced drivers who have helped us push our way up as quickly as possible, on and off track, and from the earliest days of our team we have respected the heritage of Colin Chapman and his family and treated them both with the honour and style they deserve. It will be an incredible feeling to see the culmination of our first season back at another track where the Lotus Racing dream took shape. We came to the 2009 race, and while I hoped then that we would be where we are now, I could not have predicted we would have come quite as far as we have. Our future is extremely exciting. We have everything in place to take a big step forward next year, and I truly believe we have already exceeded our own expectations in our first season. For a team that had only five months to build our first car, as well as an entire race team and factory, we can hold up our heads up high to our fans, the Chapman family, the paddock fraternity and most importantly, to ourselves. There has been a huge amount of discussion about Lotus re-entering Formula One for the first time since 1994, but we spent this year looking ahead and not engaging in the talk about bringing the Lotus brand back. We went about our business in our own unassuming way, letting our actions speak louder than our words, and we will continue to do just that. We have a unique style and will always stay true to that as we move forward, up to the ultimate position of one day being World Champions."

[MIKA27]

Sauber preview the Abu Dhabi GP

Kamui Kobayashi: "Abu Dhabi was only the second race in my Formula One career. It was the first time I scored points, so I have good memories from this place. It's a nice circuit. Last year the track's grip level improved a lot during the weekend as more rubber was laid down. It was the first twilight race in Formula One history, which was very special. It will be a big challenge for everybody to manage their tyres during the race, because the track temperature changes significantly. Of course, my goal is to score more points in order to finish the season with a positive result."

Nick Heidfeld: "Last year I liked the circuit in Abu Dhabi at first sight. The same as many of the modern tracks, it has long straights which should allow overtaking. At the same time, you have some nice winding sections and the tunnel at the pit lane exit is something special. In 2009, at the inaugural event there, I came fifth, which was quite a good result. These points helped to move the team one place up in the Constructors' Championship. It was an extraordinarily emotional Grand Prix, because after BMW had pulled out nobody knew what the future would be for Peter Sauber's team. After the race he presented me with a Formula One car. This was unbelievable. I didn't expect it at all, and I want to say thank you again. Something else that should be noted about this Grand Prix is it starts in daylight and finishes in darkness - similar to the Korean Grand Prix this year! On a personal note, a potential highlight for me would be making it to the Prince concert."

Technical Director James Key: "We are already at the end of the season, with the last race at Abu Dhabi seeming to come round very quickly. But obviously the focus is on the event, and we look forward to going to the spectacular setting where the track is. For us it will be a case of running the C29 in its last race, but looking to optimise the set-up down the straights, in the slow speed last section and then the chicanes. It's a compromise between straight line speed and braking stability. We are looking to continue our trend of scoring points. I hope we can enjoy a successful last race."

[MIKA27]

Lotus to sport black & gold livery in 2011

The Lotus team will switch from the current green and yellow livery to the historic black and gold for the 2011 season.

The team will launch a competition for fans to design the livery, reflecting the famous John Player Special sponsorship seen in 1972 to 1979.

The team's chief executive, Riad Asmat, believes the move will be univerasally supported by F1 fans.

"When we first unveiled our 2010 car there was unanimous praise for our decision to bring the historic green and yellow livery back to the modern F1 grid.

"I know the return to the track of the legendary black and gold will be met with even more universal support as it strikes such an emotional chord with fans around the world.

"Giving those fans the chance to help us bring it back to the contemporary grid is true to our core belief of putting our supporters right at the heart of Lotus Racing - we can't wait to show the world what we come up with."

MIKA: Fantastic!

[Bartolomeo]

Forza Ferrari!!!

Bart

[Baldy]

Looking forward to the final GP of the season. Still holding out hope for Lewis Hamilton to win but is a long shot. If not LH then Webber. Don't care for either Vettel or Alonso but rather Vettel than Alonso and Ferrari. The Red Bull dynamic should add a lot of intrigue.

[MIKA27]

Forza Ferrari!!!

Bart

Good luck Bart!

[MIKA27]

Looking forward to the final GP of the season. Still holding out hope for Lewis Hamilton to win but is a long shot. If not LH then Webber. Don't care for either Vettel or Alonso but rather Vettel than Alonso and Ferrari. The Red Bull dynamic should add a lot of intrigue.

Hope it all goes well for you Baldy, I know you're a McLaren fan bud!

I don't care who wins but NOT ALONSO.

[MIKA27]

Heidfeld chasing a 2011 Renault race-seat

Nick Heidfeld is in talks with Renault regarding a 2011 race-seat, a move that would once again see him partner Robert Kubica.

With Kubica confirmed for next year's Championship, Renault are currently debating whether or not to keep rookie driver Vitaly Petrov, who has scored just 19 points to his team-mate's 126.

One driver believed to be in the running is Heidfeld as the German, who started this season as Mercedes GP's test driver before switching to Pirelli and then to a Sauber race-seat, looks for a full-time drive for 2011.

However, the 33-year-old admits Renault may be looking for more than just talent.

"At the moment it's my last race for Sauber but I've thought that a couple of times before!" he told ITV when asked about 2011. "So you never know what's going to happen...

"For next year obviously there are many seats already gone. I'm still in talks with various teams - also with Renault, as (team boss Eric) Boullier confirmed.

"That would be the best opportunity but it's far to say that it's obvious that it's not the only thing (that) they are looking for is talent, what you can give on the circuit.

"They have Vitaly in the car, who has strong arguments but looking at his performance on track this year we know what those arguments are."

When questioned about how his rates his chances of racing for Renault, he said: "I know for myself, but I won't give away all the insight I have there."

MIKA: Nick Heidfeld is a solid driver, very reliable. He'd do well at renault but in the event that he doesn't have many sponsors, I don't like his chances...

[MIKA27]

Webber: I'll have another crack next year

Mark Webber has refuted suggestions that if he doesn't win this season's Drivers' Championship, he will never win a title.

Arriving in Abu Dhabi for the title showdown, Webber is second in the standings, eight points behind Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.

The picture, though, would've been a lot different if Webber had crashed out at last month's Korean GP, which ultimately cost him the lead in the title race.

And although he admits that "Fernando is in the best position" than the chasing pack, he is confident that if he doesn't win it this season, he will have another shot in 2011.

"I want to do it on Sunday, if it doesn't happen then I will have another crack next year," said the 34-year-old Australian.

"I know I have been very fortunate to even have a chance to get to this point, I am not getting greedy but I know it was good to have a chance.

"It is human nature to always want more, it would be nice to close the championship out as champion. But the way the championship has been, if there were two or three races after this it would still go down to the last one.

"It's been a long season for all of us, and as the season goes on you achieve so many amazing things. I respect the guys I race against and that is why we get out of bed, to beat them.

"If I don't get the Championship there will be a small hole in it, but a lot of great memories still."

The Red Bull driver added: "It is going to be disappointing if it doesn't happen, but there are still a lot of positives this year.

"I don't think my odds were too good at start of year, to be fighting for Championship. My odds are much smaller now."

[MIKA27]

Vettel: We're driving for the team

Without saying so in as many words, Sebastian Vettel has said he will help Mark Webber win the Drivers' title.

With two drivers still in the hunt, much of the focus in the run-up to the season finale in Abu Dhabi has been on Red Bull Racing.

The team has firmly stated on numerous occasions that they will not issue team orders to their drivers even if it costs them the Championship double.

However, in the last few days, they have also stated that they expect both their drivers to do the right by the team.

And given that Vettel is further behind Webber in the standings, 15 points adrift of Alonso whereas Webber is just eight, it will most likely fall on the German to give way should the situation arise.

"I think it is pretty clear," Vettel said when asked about the matter in Thursday's press conference.

"There are lots of things that are going to happen, and more important things before we get to that stage - as we have to focus tomorrow to get the car ready, and then have a smooth qualifying as last year it was quite tricky.

"With lots of things to do, there are better things to spend more energy on than what happens on Sunday. If the situation occurs on Sunday then we know we are driving for the team.

"We have some occasions where we got close and it didn't get too good, so the main target is not to repeat that. And the rest, we will see."

Vettel, though, insists he's not going into Sunday's grand prix thinking about the equations, rather he will be thinking about going for the win and will take it from there.

"It is pretty easy," he said. "Forty years ago the drivers had no tactics - it was flat out. The approach has been like that for the last few races for me.

"It is going to be a long weekend, we will try to do our best and try and put us in a similar position to Korea and last weekend.

"The target is clear. The speed has been there all season and it was not the easiest season for myself. We are still in the hunt and we will try our best.

"But the clear favourites going into the weekend are Mark and Fernando. I will just try to do my best race and then it depends on where those (other) two guys are."

[MIKA27]

I'll say it for the last time this season - C'mon Webber! You can do it fella.

Enjoy the race Brendan. I hope you're right mate.

I predict Webber will take the WDC with Alonso right there in second place.

[MIKA27]

Disagreement threatens 2011 Australian GP

A dispute between the governing body of motorsport in Australia (CAMS) and the promoters of the Melbourne Grand Prix has threatened the races place on the 2011 calendar.

The promoters have asked that CAMS reduce the fee it charges, thought to be in the region of £500,000, to help organise the event. However, the organisation has refused to do so, and has threatened to write to the FIA to have the race removed from next seasons calendar if the matter isn't solved by November 19th.

The chief of the event, Ron Walker, has flown to Abu Dhabi to meet with Bernie Ecclestone to find a solution and to see if the billionaire can aid negotiations between the two parties.

Walker though, isn't too worried about the prospect of the race being dropped, as he sees it very unlikely that Jean Todt and Ecclestone will allow such a thing to happen.

"I am not worried, it won't happen," he told Autosport. "I know it is going to be resolved because there are powers that be, such as Mr Todt and Mr Ecclestone who are sure it will be resolved in an amicable way. But it is a pity it has gone this far.

"Now Mr Ecclestone has stepped in, saying, 'I have a contract with the government of Victoria for five years, it is very concrete contract and I will not allow CAMS to take us off the calendar.'"

If it isn't resolved amicably, Walker says he may turn to the organisers of the British GP at Silverstone or this weekends Abu Dhabi GP organisers to help run the show down under.

MIKA: F**king CAMS.