Back in February, when Formula 1 cars launch, teams don’t know what sort of season they can expect. The numbers coming out of the wind tunnel provide a hint, but no one really knows until the first few races declutter the data. Only after the first round of upgrades did it become clear we had a car that could fight for fourth position and ‘best-of-the-rest’. Our finest day of the season in Brazil settled that one with a race to spare.
The atmosphere in the garage at the Yas Marina Circuit was, therefore, noticeably less tense than it had been in recent weeks. There’s still a race, plenty to fight for and a desire to end the season on a high note – but there’s also confidence, good humour and general buoyancy in the garage. The venue encourages that: it’s a nice facility in which to work, and the tight paddock, with the marina basin behind has a welcoming vibe.
All of this tends to disguise the fact that the race is filled with tough setup decisions and difficult strategic choices. It’s never a straightforward race in Abu Dhabi. Here’s a few things you may have missed as the team closed out the season in fine style…