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This weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will decide the winner of the 2014 Drivers' Championship, but do you who has participated and won the most in Abu Dhabi? What record Nico Rosberg is aiming to achieve and what record Sebastian Vettel is looking to avoid in Abu Dhabi? For all this information and so much more, just read on.
Circuit: Yas Marina
Circuit length: 5.554 km
Number of corners: 21 (9 left, 12 right)
DRS zones: 2
Race laps: 55
Race distance: 305.355 km
2014 tyre compounds: SuperSoft, Soft
Circuit lap record: 1m 40.279s - Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 2009
About the Circuit
Since staging its first Formula One Grand Prix in 2009, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has been an ever-present in the Formula One calendar. Situated about 30 kms away from Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, the track is easily accessible for the fans who will this year be flocking in their huge numbers to witness the finale of the 2014 season.
Since being moved to the last Grand Prix of the season, the race is held just before winter instead of being held in the sweltering heat of the summer. The surface material of the track has drawn particular praise from the FIA for its grip. But it is a circuit that divides that divides opinion among the drivers, some of whom seem to like it, while others don't have too many nice things to say about it.
Trivia
- There have been 5 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix held so far, all of which have been held at the Yas Marina.
- Only one of the five races have been won from pole position at the Yas Marina.
- Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button are the only drivers to have appeared in all the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix held till date.
- Vettel holds the record for the most wins on this track with three. Kimi Raikonnen and Hamilton are the only two other drivers in the current field to have won it.
- Vettel and Hamilton both have secured pole position twice, while Mark Webber is the only other driver to have been on pole in Abu Dhabi.
- Red Bull has the most pole positions on this track (3), while McLaren are second with 2.
- Red Bull also have the most wins with 3, while McLaren and Lotus have one each.
- Pole position hasn't been a harbinger of what is to come in the race as there have been three times as many winners from second place as there have been from pole position at Yas Marina.
- The lowest grid position from which a driver has won the race is 4th. Kimi Raikonnen achieved that after he won the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for Lotus, which also made him the only driver to start from outside the front row and win.
- Amongst the current field, Vettel has led 134 laps on this track, while Hamilton has 86 and Raikonnen sits a distant third having led just 36 laps.
- Just two of the five races have had at least a single safety car appearance.
- The inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was won by Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull in 2009.
- Rosberg goes into the weekend on the back of 10 consecutive front-row starts including two-straight pole positions.
- Hamilton comes into Abu Dhabi on the back of 6 consecutive podium finishes.
- Mercedes with 18 consecutive podium finishes and Sebastian Vettel with 10 straight points finishes go into this race hoping to keep their streak alive.
- Renault will be hoping to extend their run of 118 consecutive races in the points as an engine manufacturer.
- Vettel will be looking to be avoid being the first defending champion after Jacques Villeneuve in 1998 to finish a season without a win.
- If Nico Rosberg claims pole position on Saturday, it will be his 11th pole of the season. Only six drivers have claimed 11 or more poles in a single season.
- If a Ferrari-powered car wins the race it’ll be the first Ferrari turbo win since the 1988 Italian Grand Prix.
- Should Ferrari and McLaren fail to win on Sunday, it will be the first season since 1980 that neither team has managed a solitary victory in the entire season.
- For Ferrari, it will be the first winless season since 1993, if they don't win on Sunday and to make matters worse, Williams might pip Ferrari to third spot and finish ahead of the Prancing Horse for the first time since 1997, the year they last won the title.
