The tense battle they star in this weekend in Abu Dhabi Max verstappen Y Lewis Hamilton It has exceeded all expectations. A truly luxurious finale that has sparked interest in Formula 1 at all levels. From the historic cover dedicated to him by the French sportsman L’Equipe, to the last minute negotiations in the United Kingdom so that the last grand prix of the season can be followed openly on television. The ‘orange’ tide has grown exponentially. And the betting houses are fuming. The names of Max Y Lewis are on everyone’s lips.
And at this point there is no consensus in designating a favorite. No one is able to predict what will happen on Sunday (2:00 pm). Not even the pilots themselves: “Like the whole season, Verstappen and I’m going to be very close here & rdquor ;, he assured Hamilton after closing on Friday at the top of the timesheets with a substantial advantage (6 tenths) over his rival.
No references
If we adjust to what the first two free sessions provided, Mercedes ‘flies’ to a lap, both with the medium compound and with the soft one. But it is not a clear reference either: last year Hamilton dropped Verstappen to almost 8 tenths in FP2 and then the Dutchman took pole and victory. Furthermore, the changes made to the Yas Marina track allow overtaking more easily than in the past, when starting from pole was a guarantee of success.
Verstappen, who leads the World Cup by taking into account one more victory (9) than Hamilton, he was not entirely satisfied after the first day of action. Unlike Hamilton, did not notice a big difference between the two Pirelli compounds, but is convinced that their race pace is much scarier: “The short runs didn’t go as planned, we lacked a bit of pace, but the long runs were more competitive, so that’s important too & rdquor ;, he analyzed Max, who appreciated the transformation of the circuit very positively, despite the fact that many now consider it more favorable to the powerful Mercedes engine: “I think the changes make the circuit more fun to drive, especially the fast corners in the last sector & rdquor ;.
For its part, Hamilton keep calm. Advantages of having already fought many times for a title and having been champion seven times. “It has been a decent day, I have liked the changes they have made in the circuit, it is more fluid and you enjoy more. Obviously, everything is going to be tight between Max and me in terms of pace, as it has been in previous races. In FP2 we improved after making some changes to the car. Now it’s time to look at the data and see how we can come back stronger tomorrow in ranking & rdquor ;, warned the Englishman.
The plan
And although the ‘great duel’ monopolizes almost everything in Abu Dhabi, Alpine’s progression also deserves attention, with Or with second and Alonso sixth, after losing his fastest lap for exceeding the track limits. The Spaniard, who has transmitted his enthusiasm to the team, took to the track wearing the inscription on his rear wing: “El Plan & rdquor ;. A whole declaration of intent with an eye toward 2022.