[yermo]

wow looks very nice. It has a Monaco feel with the tunnel and the boats.

[MHP]

I've been there 2x in the past year and the facility is easily the most impressive I've ever seen. Spare no expense doesn't even begin to cover it...

[MHP]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

uhhh...the GP is at Abu Dhabi, the capital city of United Arab Emirates, not Dubai....

and the dark side...well...every city has its own dark side behind all the glitz and glamour....

nonetheless..its a good read of the things we don't see behind those amazing high-rise buildings and malls...

FWIW, Abu Dhabi and Dubai are both some of the cleanest and nicest cities in the world. I would only put Tokyo ahead of either in the cleanliness dept. No graffiti, no horns at rush hour, if you double park your car the police will call you on your cell and ask you to please move your car, if you leave your car running in an unattended parking lot no one will steal it, etc etc.
U.A.E. is not like Saudi Arabia (where a woman cannot leave her house unless accompanied by her husband or their eldest son), it's basically just like the U.S. you can drink, smoke, swear, girls can wear bikini's in the street, etc.
Downsides...130F with 90% humidity in the summer, we get logs from N/A cars seeing 170F+ IATs while cruising at 60mph...Don't ask what the TT cars see lol.

Thanks

[KANdaddy]

Hope all those tight corners don't slow down the pace too much. Kinda seemed like it in that video.

Beautiful facility tho.

[taliesen]

Originally Posted by KANdaddy

Hope all those tight corners don't slow down the pace too much. Kinda seemed like it in that video.

Beautiful facility tho.

The first lap was on cold tires, and it was a 2 seater demonstration car - not a true F1 car. I'd imagine that the real cars, run in anger, will be a lot quicker than this.

Doesn't look like there are too many overtaking opportunities, though.

[KonigsTiger]

Originally Posted by yermo

wow looks very nice. It has a Monaco feel with the tunnel and the boats.

+1

[E90SLAM]

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[E90SLAM]

In Thursday's main FIA press conference ahead of Sunday's inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, when asked by Press Association Sport if they had settled their differences, the row erupted again.


Here is the transcript of their exchange which will likely spill over into Friday's customary drivers' briefing.


Trulli: "Obviously it was very disappointing to end the race like that, especially on the first lap.


"I had every reason to be extremely furious. I've got all the evidence to show I was there and was next to him, and tomorrow we are going to discuss it."


Sutil: "There's nothing to discuss, it was quite an obvious incident.


"In the end it was very disappointing for me, even more because I was the one who was driving, and he lost control of his car and crashed into my back.


"It's not my problem. It's his problem. I don't know why he's freaking out like that to be honest."


Trulli: "I don't know if you're blind, but I can clearly show you my front wing is next to your front wing."


(Trulli then produced photographs to support his argument)


Sutil: "But you're trying to overtake me around the outside on the kerb. There was not a problem. You were off the power.


"The same happened in Barcelona where you lost control again and crashed again into a Force India car (Sutil).


"You have to sometimes respect the limits of the car. If you've nowhere to go, you have to back off. That's how racing is. I don't know how long you need to learn this."


Trulli: "In Barcelona I spun and he hit me because he cut the kerb, cut the circuit completely, and he didn't slow down."


Sutil: "I didn't hit you. You hit me. I don't know what is your problem. I really don't understand."


Asked what was said during their spat immediately after the accident, Trulli replied: "I was furious because he didn't see me.


"I was next to him and he kept on pushing me on the outside until I was obviously on the kerb."


Then the row continued:


Sutil: "It's not a problem to be on the kerb. Where's the problem?"


Trulli (sarcastically): "Yeah, no problem! As long as we know the rules."


Sutil: "I know the rules."


The verbal confrontation resulted in Alonso being asked for his opinion as he had a clear view of the incident prior to hitting Sutil.


With a smile, Alonso said: "I saw everything more or less, but as Jarno said we will discuss it in the drivers' briefing - deeply!"

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,189...659298,00.html

[taliesen]

The last pic of Alonso and Raikkonen laughing is priceless . . .

[E90SLAM]

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[MontegoblueE92]

Sweet shorts Jarno.

Now Adrian Sutil won't have to ask what he has stuck up his ass.

[yermo]

love the front wing pictures. Love to compare and contrast.
Must be fun to be a driver/superstar with all of these people falling all over themselves to just be around you. Example: "Kimi good to see you; please wear this $15k watch." It just looks like fun to travel around and live this lifestyle...

[BudVlad]

Abu Dhabi weather forecast.

Saturday: partly cloudy Hi 32C/90F Lo 28C/83F

Sunday: partly cloudy Hi 32C/90F Lo 27C/81F

[escobar929]

cant wait for this!

[E90SLAM]

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Friday Practice 1 Times
01 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:43.939 18 laps
02 J. Button Brawn GP 1:44.035 20 laps
03 S. Vettel Red Bull 1:44.153 28 laps
04 R. Barrichello Brawn GP 1:44.207 23 laps
05 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:44.667 23 laps
06 S. Buemi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:44.687 32 laps
07 A. Sutil Force India F1 1:44.688 14 laps
08 M. Webber Red Bull 1:44.805 25 laps
09 J. Alguersuari Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:44.955 33 laps
10 J. Trulli Toyota 1:44.958 25 laps
11 R. Kubica BMW 1:44.988 22 laps
12 H. Kovalainen McLaren 1:45.123 20 laps
13 N. Rosberg Williams 1:45.649 27 laps
14 K. Nakajima Williams 1:45.679 25 laps
15 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:45.704 27 laps
16 F. Alonso Renault 1:45.865 23 laps
17 V. Liuzzi Force India F1 1:46.022 22 laps
18 G. Fisichella Ferrari 1:46.267 26 laps
19 K. Kobayashi Toyota 1:46.364 28 laps
20 R. Grosjean Renault 1:46.411 27 laps

[E90SLAM]

Friday Practice 2 Times
01 H. Kovalainen McLaren 1:41.307 35 laps
02 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:41.501 34 laps
03 J. Button Brawn GP 1:41.541 39 laps
04 S. Vettel Red Bull 1:41.591 37 laps
05 K. Kobayashi Toyota 1:41.636 34 laps
06 S. Buemi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:41.683 37 laps
07 M. Webber Red Bull 1:41.684 34 laps
08 R. Barrichello Brawn GP 1:41.831 38 laps
09 N. Rosberg Williams 1:41.931 39 laps
10 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:41.987 39 laps
11 A. Sutil Force India F1 1:42.180 28 laps
12 K. Nakajima Williams 1:42.245 36 laps
13 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:42.278 36 laps
14 J. Trulli Toyota 1:42.409 30 laps
15 V. Liuzzi Force India F1 1:42.530 33 laps
16 F. Alonso Renault 1:42.782 29 laps
17 G. Fisichella Ferrari 1:42.932 37 laps
18 R. Grosjean Renault 1:43.021 37 laps
19 J. Alguersuari Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:43.022 39 laps
20 R. Kubica BMW 1:43.708 13 laps