Round of Abu Dhabi - Picks and comments

8 n Pole Admin · Post by **8 n Pole Admin** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 6:28 am

8 'n' Pole players, post your picks for the final race of the season at the new Yas Marina circuit.

NOTES: Kamui Kobayashi replaces the injured Timo Glock at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Giancarlo Fisichella replaces Luca Badoer at Ferrari from the Italian GP.
Vitantonio Liuzzi replaces Giancarlo Fisichella at Force India from the Italian GP.

You can submit your picks at http://www.newsonf1.com/8npole/submit.htm then paste your picks here and tell us why you think your picks will be the correct ones.

For the latest Formula 1 news, visit the Formula 1 News page.

The deadline for submitting the picks for Abu Dhabi is the 30th of October prior to the start of the first Friday practice session.

The fight at the top is very close! Good luck everyone

Jim Watt · Post by **Jim Watt** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 6:09 am

Greetings Mates!

This has been just about the best season for RACING in ages! And I'm going all out to make it back into the top 100 by picking ONLY RACERS this week. My total Score is 116 out of 2867 and I'm gunning for a killer finale!

on the podium will be Seb Vettel, seving notice to Ferrari and McLaren that he's for real next year. I think Seb will COMMAND this race from his pole position and maybe even have to fight his team-mate on the closing laps

Yes, I'm picking the Webbo in the other Red Bull to take the second step on the podium and it seems only fitting for this season to end with a Red Bull 1-2 after opening with a Braun pair.

Jenson Button will be chasing the Brauns all day

4th place will be Lewis Hamilton's --I think he'll be rueing his loss of the WDC to Kimi more and more as the seasons unroll and he sees how hard it really is to be a repeat champ

5th will be Kimi's because he'll be going for blood this weekend; I think he might even finish higher than fifth if he can qualify high enough in his worn out old Ferrari

6th will be NEXT YEAR's WDC, Fernando Alonso. I expect he and Kimi to duel all day!

7th will be Jarno Trulli's last ride for Toyota ... and maybe for his career; he deserves better than this, but that's racing

and the final point for 2009 will go to the most deserving driver of the season, Robert Kubica in the swan song for Sauber

(I wouldn't take a BMW from you if you offered it to me for free!! What lousy corporate bums they are!!

)

I'm already looking forward to rooting for the red cars next year... now if only Kimi manages to find himself partnered with Jenson in the Braun Merc; why the two of them could be spoilers all year long!!

Cheers, Chaps, and thanx for the most nail biting season in memory.

Jim Watt

Lloyd · Post by **Lloyd** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:32 am

I am having my best 8 'n' Pole season, so will hopefully continue in that vein.

Winner : Mark Webber. Not bad for a man with a broken leg and shoulder injury

Second : Rubens Barrichello. Out to reassert his No 2 spot

Third : Fernando Alonso. A good final race for Mr (I know nothing)

Fourth : Sebastian Vettel. Like most of his season, too many small mistakes

Fifth : Lewis Hamilton. How KERS saved a past champions reputation

Sixth : Jenson Button. Just cruisin

Seventh : Kimi Raikkonen. Trying to inpress, but I dont think he is interested

Eighth : Giancarlo Fisichella. Hopefully finally will get a point driving a red car

Pole : Mark Webber. Because he is on it at the moment

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:56 pm

Well it's the final race of the year. The WDC is decided and it is a new track so hopefully things will be interesting on that score at least.

As for my picks well for what they are worth ........

Winner: Mark Webber ~ Pressure is off and he is on a roll.

Second: Sebastian Vettel ~ a real contender for the title again next year I think

Third: Lewis Hamilton ~ Don't ya wish your girlfriend was hot like mine?????

Fourth: Nico Rosberg ~ He has consistancy

Fifth: Kimi Raikkonen ~ 25 million for nothing... not bad if you can get it.

Sixth: Jenson Button ~ He has already proved his worth

Seventh: Robert Kubica ~ Someone has to come 7th

Eighth: Heikki Kovalainen ~ Needs a pussy cat doll

Pole: Sebastian Vettel ~ Fast...............................

Jim Watt · Post by **Jim Watt** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:42 am

I just looked at my picks and noticed that I said Jenson would be chasing the BRAUNS all day; I meant, naturally, the RED BULLS...

I see JacFan has also picked the RED BULLS to take 1-2; he just reversed the drivers.

While we're on the subject of RED BULLS and BRAUNS, a note to the boards of directors of TOYOTA, HONDA and BMW: if you want your company to enter a machine in F1, and if you are willing to spend the cash required, FOR GOD'S SAKE DON'T LET ANYONE IN YOUR CORPORATION NEAR THE TEAM. REMEMBER: YOU MAKE PASSENGER CARS, AND MAYBE YOU MAKE GOOD ONES. RACE CARS NEED TO BE DESIGNED, BUILT, MANAGED AND RACED BY RACERS. NOTICE WHAT ROSS BRAUN HAS DONE; NOTICE WHAT ADRIAN NEWEY HAS DONE. Finally, notice what McLaren has managed by focusing on racing. And remember, you can't beat Ferrari by outspending them.

cheers. jim watt

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:36 pm

I see JacFan has also picked the RED BULLS to take 1-2; he just reversed the drivers.

I ... sob..... am not..... sob, sob..... argh.... sob NOT a he!!!!

I really am a girl Jim. Honest. Just ask Julian.

Jim Watt · Post by **Jim Watt** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:31 am

terribly sorry, JacFan; I knew that you were, in fact, a girl. I think either my brain or my fingers slipped and forgot to put the 's' in front.

Turns out we were both a little off in this surprising race. I thought Lewis would be chasing the Red Bulls and you thought Seb would be chasing the Webbo.

Interestingly, David Hobbs, on Wind Tunnel (a Speed Network racing review show in the U.S.) said he guessed Seb would be the next year's WDC!! And this when Fernando is going to Ferrari, who should have a killer car next year. Both he and Steve Machett are supposing that there will be friction between Fernando and Felipe (ho. ho.) and that he (Fernando) will find it impossible to 'fit in' to the Ferrari mystique. I say that the best driver on the circuit in the best car will probably make Jenson's little run of six victories out of seven races look lame.

By the by, did you catch Lewis's spontaneous remark when interviewed by Peter Windsor? Peter told him that this was his first ever F1 mechanical failure. Lewis replied, "Is it? Well I have nothing to complain about then."

Rather refreshing actually since one of Jenson's (and he isn't the only one with this problem) less appealing traits is constantly finding excuses for his failures. Of course no one is as blunt as Kimi --unless it's the Webbo. both are refreshingly candid. If Lewis keeps up I may warm to him yet.

I also liked Fernando saying that the Renault was 'the worst car if F1." Had he kept his lips zipped earlier in the year by his friendship with his manager and team boss?

Cheers till next year (may there be a Silverstone and may Spa be saved!)

jim watt

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:46 pm

Hi there Jim. Must have been those goblins that stole the "s" from "she".
They grab your fingers and make it impossible to spell correctly. lol

Yes I am afraid I got the tips a bit mixed up... must clean the crystal ball before next season.

Should be an interesting year. Seb is very good and I think he will be WDC one day. Alonso in a red car should be an interesting mix. Will so pleased to see Massa back behind the wheel next year.

Looking forward right now to some warmer weather here in Oz and Christmas with family and friends. It has been a hell of year for me and one that I am happy is just about over.
I am starting to feel a lot healthier and happier.

Cheers.

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 8:16 pm

No sign of the results for this race yet.
Is anyone doing them?

8 n Pole Admin · Post by **8 n Pole Admin** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:45 pm

jacfan wrote:No sign of the results for this race yet.
Is anyone doing them?

Yes Jacfan, we are hoping to get the results out by the end of the week but as it is the final race of the season, we also do an audit on the entire season just to make sure all the scoring was correct

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:43 pm

Sorry.........

8 n Pole Admin · Post by **8 n Pole Admin** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 4:30 pm

Here are the Top 3 and Pole statistics for the round of Abu Dhabi!

Winner
Lewis Hamilton 37.37%
Sebastian Vettel 21.21%
Mark Webber 15.66%
Jenson Button 9.60%
Kimi Raikkonen 8.08%
Rubens Barrichello 5.56%
Nico Rosberg 1.01%

Second
Sebastian Vettel 34.34%
Lewis Hamilton 20.20%
Mark Webber 11.11%
Rubens Barrichello 10.61%
Jenson Button 10.10%
Kimi Raikkonen 7.07%
Robert Kubica 2.02%
Heikki Kovalainen 1.52%
Fernando Alonso 1.52%

Third
Mark Webber 17.17%
Rubens Barrichello 16.67%
Lewis Hamilton 16.16%
Sebastian Vettel 13.64%
Jenson Button 13.64%
Kimi Raikkonen 13.13%
Fernando Alonso 3.54%
Robert Kubica 1.52%

Pole
Lewis Hamilton 42.93%
Sebastian Vettel 23.74%
Mark Webber 9.60%
Jenson Button 7.07%
Kimi Raikkonen 6.57%
Rubens Barrichello 6.06%
Nico Rosberg 1.52%

Final results later today/early tomorrow and once again apologies for the delay

8 n Pole Admin · Post by **8 n Pole Admin** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 1:35 pm

microsystem top scores this round with a score of 44 points.

The average score for this round was 20.72 which is once again just above the average so far for the whole season.

Congratulations to microsystem, you have won a NewsOnF1 Compact Smart Digital Clock with Alarm.
microsystem managed to pick 6 of the top 8 finishers with 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in their exact finishing place. Picking Sebastian Vettel for pole earned microsystem 2 additional points and scored 4 bonus points for picking 6 and 2nd on the grid!

Overall, Charles J Moscato becomes the 2009 8 'n' Pole Champion increasing the lead from DGB to 4 points. Lightfoot takes 3rd place followed by mrlaw. MrGSir moves into 5th with Dom and Weekend at Bernie's tied in 6th place. Texancow and Cap round up the top 8.

The Overall Top 20 is available here

The Abu Dhabi Top 200 is available here

The Popularity Picks for the round of Abu Dhabi is available here

We hope that you have enjoyed the 2009 8 'n' Pole competition and look forward to seeing you again in 2010

microsystem · Post by **microsystem** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 11:10 pm

whoa! I won the last round despite picking Felipe Massa for 5th place. Very embarrassing. LOL.