Formula 1: The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix might actually be interesting

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has been dominated by Mercedes since the 2014 Formula 1 season. But this year’s season finale at Yas Marina Circuit might actually be interesting.

There are certain races on the Formula 1 schedule that have basically become locks for Mercedes to win since the V6 turbo hybrid era began back in the 2014 season. Perhaps the most notable of these races is the season finale, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, at Yas Marina Circuit.

Mercedes have dominated each of the last five 55-lap races around the 21-turn, 3.451-mile (5.554-kilometer) Yas Marina Circuit road course on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and that dominance has shown no signs of slowing at any point since 2014.

The Silver Arrows have locked out the front row in each of these five races, and they have won them all, with Lewis Hamilton winning in 2014, 2016 and 2018, Nico Rosberg winning in 2015 and Valtteri Bottas winning in 2017.

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The Brackley-based team have not led fewer than 38 laps in this race since 2013, and they have twice led from lights out to checkered flag, leading a total of 234 of the 275 laps of competition at the venue. They have recorded three 1-2 finishes, and in every one of these five races, both Mercedes teammates have led at some point.

So it seems to be pretty much a foregone conclusion that 2019 will produce more of the same and the season will end on a rather tame note.

But that may not be the case.

Bottas was forced to retire from the Brazilian Grand Prix at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace just under two weeks ago. As a result, Mercedes were forced to replace power unit elements on his W10, meaning that he will be forced to start the season finale from the back of the grid, ending the team’s streak of front row lockouts.

So at best, Hamilton will start from the pole position, a position from which he hasn’t started in more than four months, and Bottas will need to drive his way through the field rather quickly to give Mercedes more than one shot to win.

Hamilton, as successful as he has been at Yas Marina Circuit with four victories, has never won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in consecutive seasons, and he just won it last year. Additionally, he has not had his way as of late, winning only two of the last eight races after winning eight of the first 12, as both Ferrari and Red Bull Racing have shown strength in recent weeks and months.

The 34-year-old Briton is still the undisputed favorite to close out the season with a victory, but it won’t be as much of a foregone conclusion for the Silver Arrows to field the winning car like it usually is in Abu Dhabi, which could actually make the season finale quite interesting. Let’s also not ignore the fact that Bottas trying to carve his way through the field could be fun to watch in itself.

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Will Mercedes’ dominance continue in Abu Dhabi this Sunday, December 1, or will a team other than the Silver Arrow claim victory at Yas Marina Circuit for the first time since Red Bull Racing won with Sebastian Vettel back in the 2013 season? The 2019 Formula 1 season finale is set to be broadcast live on ESPN2 beginning at 8:05 a.m. ET.

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