Circuit changes since 2012
- Speed bumps similar to those used around the first chicane at Monza have been installed two metres from the track edge around the outside of Turns Eight and 11.
All following times in local(GMT +4) time
THURSDAY
Press conference 15.00 REPORT
FRIDAY
Practice session 1 13.00-14.30 RESULTS
Practice session 2 17.00-18.30 RESULTS
Press conference 19.00
SATURDAY
Practice session 3 14.00-15.00 RESULTS
Qualifying 17.00-18.00
Followed by unilateral and press conference
SUNDAY
Drivers’ Parade 15.30
Race 17.00
Followed by podium interviews and press
conference
Fast facts
- Qualifying in pole position at Yas Marina has been a poisoned chalice. The driver in P1 has failed to finish three out of the four Abu Dhabi Grands Prix. In the inaugural race, Lewis Hamilton retired with a brake problem, and again in 2012 after losing fuel pressure. He went further than Sebastian Vettel who led away from pole in 2011 only to suffer a first corner puncture
- Kimi Räikkönen’s victory from fourth at last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the only occasion on which the race has been won from behind the front row. Vettel won from second place in 2009 and from pole in 2010. Hamilton won from second in 2011.
- Räikkönen’s victory was the first of his return to F1 after a two-year sabbatical. It was the 19th F1 win of his career and the first victory for the Enstone-based team since Fernando Alonso’s win at Fuji in the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix. It was also the first victory for the Lotus name since Ayrton Senna triumphed in 1987 on the streets of Detroit.
- Räikkönen’s previous grand prix victory came on 30th August 2009 at the Belgian Grand Prix, making his interval between victories 1163 days. That’s less than half the interval of record-holder Riccardo Patrese who went 2403 days between wins at the 1983 South African Grand Prix and 1990 San Marino Grand Prix.
- When he collects the Drivers’ Championship Trophy at the FIA Gala Prize-Giving in December, Sebastian Vettel will draw level with Alain Prost as a four-times World Champion. He now has only Juan Manuel Fangio (five) and Michael Schumacher (seven) in front of him. Like Fangio and Schumacher he will have the distinction of four consecutive championships – though neither of the latter pair managed the feat with their first four titles.
- By virtue of a fourth place for Jenson Button, McLaren set a new record for consecutive races in the points at last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It was their 56th consecutive score, beating the record previously set by Ferrari. The run, which started at the 2010 Australian Grand Prix, eventually extended to 64 races, halting when Sergio Pérez and Jenson Button finished 11th and 12th at the 2013 Canadian Grand Prix. Ferrari can take the record back this weekend: they pulled level in India thanks to Felipe Massa’s fourth place, having started their latest run at the 2010 German Grand Prix.
