Parc Ferme: Once more unto the breach…

The circuit has produced its fair share of Formula 1 drama, and the revamped configuration has given a significant boost to its raceability. The facility has also become iconic. If Las Vegas was a representation of F1 hedonism and largesse, then the Yas Island facility projects its sheer power and majesty as the ultimate expression of Formula 1.

However, this year, there’s probably not much to be had in the United Arab Emirates capital. Yes, there’s the 2023 F1 Constructors' battle between Mercedes and Ferrari to be the best of the rest, but apart from the teams' accountants, does anyone else care?

No. Many will be pleased to see the chequered flag of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and the back of the 2023 F1 Championship.

In case you have been on another planet, until last week F1 this year has been dominated by Red Bull and Max Verstappen. I use the word “dominate”, but it still feels like I’m understating things.

Maybe I should add “teased” to the sentence as well. Ferrari threatened to put a hair in the butter. However, in the end, Sergio Perez dug deep in his talent bag and managed to pull out a third to confirm Red Bull’s first Championship one-two.

The Team and Max have tried to sell us the idea that the RB19 is not quite the mercurial car their competitors would have us believe.

For the latter part of the season, doing a gazillion laps on the same set of mediums for Free Practice and strapping on some worn-out Softs for Qualifying, Max has been putting himself in the position to be pipped to the top of the table and/or pole.

Then in the race, POW! Back to reality for a couple of laps when Gianpiero Lambiase tells him to engage “High Performance” mode. I’m not sure whether it’s the Dutchman’s equivalent of “Hammer Time” or whether he cranks the engine up from seven to nine. Either way, he suddenly goes faster.

To be fair, they have left the door open a couple of times. However, apart from Singapore, most of them managed to throw the opportunity away. I can imagine Christian Horner apologizing to FOM’s Head of Light Entertainment saying, “We gave it a go but…”

I’d like to think Abu Dhabi will be different to what’s gone before this year, but unfortunately, I doubt it. Short of a plot twist directive, the focus is not there.

Toto Wolff will be trying to decide: skip or Foye for the W14 (skip if Lewis Hamilton has a say). Christian will be looking at the design of the new enlarged trophy room.

The team that put the “F” in fluffing: Ferrari, will be asking if they can bring their “game” of the last two races into next year. Guenther Steiner questioning if there's money in being an actor in a sitcom. And Andretti Global will just be wondering…