What to watch for at Yas Marina

The 2019 FIA Formula 2 season finale is set to take place at Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi this weekend and there are plenty of plotlines to keep you entertained throughout.

Records broken?

He may have already wrapped up the title, but don’t bet on Nyck de Vries being done there. The ART Grand Prix ace has been phenomenal this year and has two points’ records well within sight. The Dutchman is just 17 points behind Charles Leclerc’s winning tally in 2017 and 21 behind George Russell’s haul last season.

You’d have to go back to Round 7 at Silverstone to find the last time De Vries failed to score at least 22 points, and even further back for the last time he scored fewer than 17, which was the very first round at Bahrain, when he notched 12.

If he can match, or better, either of them, it would be some feat.

Teams’ title showdown

With this being the season finale, the major talking points of Abu Dhabi will largely centre around points’ tallies and the conclusion of the 2019 table. And, while the Drivers’ title may be signed off, there is still all to play for the in Teams’ standings.

DAMS currently lead the way and you’d be a brave man to bet against them sealing the crown at Yas Marina, with an advantage of 53 points over second placed UNI-Virtuosi. The two have closely competed all season, but the French team’s lead has been gradually growing throughout the year, with them adding a further eight points to their total last time out, in Sochi.

The pendulum would need an almighty swing to change in the favour of UNI-Virtuosi in the final round, but they’ll most definitely give it their all.

The battle for second

Adding another layer to the already spicy battle between DAMS and UNI-Virtuosi is the fight for second in the Drivers’ standings between their drivers, Nicholas Latifi, and Luca Ghiotto.

Having narrowly missed out on the Drivers’ title, Latifi will not want to suffer the same fate in the race for second place. The Canadian hasn’t been outside of the top two all season and won’t want that to have changed when the curtain comes down. It may not be first place, but considering the remarkable consistency of De Vries this year, finishing as Vice-Champion would still be a stellar accomplishment.

As it stands, a mere 10 points separates the duo in Latifi’s favour, but the Italian has outscored him in each of the previous two rounds.

Who will come out on top?

Can the rookies finish on a high?

With the campaign coming to a close, the rookie crop of 2019 will want to finish off on a positive note. Guanyu Zhou has already confirmed his place as the highest finishing debutant of the year, with a haul of 122 points, but the likes of Mick Schumacher and Giuliano Alesi will want to leave their mark on the Championship.

The Chinese driver has excited motor racing fans this season with a series of strong drives and podium finishes, with the highlight so far, pole position at Silverstone. A race win has alluded him up to this point, and achieving that is likely to be his priority in Abu Dhabi.

Meanwhile, Schumacher will be aiming to add to his race win earlier this season in Budapest and bump up his tally of 51 points. Further down the order, Alesi has seen an improvement in the previous two rounds, scoring his highest finishes of the season to date. He’ll be keen to continue the upward trend.

The new generation

On the topic of rookies, the first driver from the Formula 3 class of 2019 will be making his debut in Abu Dhabi. Christian Lundgaard is stepping up with Trident for the event, having impressed in the junior category this year.

The Dane enjoyed a strong first full season in F3, finishing as a race winner with ART Grand Prix, and a final position of sixth in the Championship. With the backing of the Renault Driver Academy behind him, he has now been awarded an outing in F2 machinery. Thus, becoming the second driver to complete the full set of driving an F1, F2 and F3 car (Callum Ilott became the first in the FIA F3 World Cup).

Overtaking opportunities

There are a number of reasons to love the Yas Marina circuit: the stunning yacht lined harbour that sits as the track’s backdrop, the underground pit exit and the mammoth 21 turns, to name just a few.

A number of these corners present viable overtaking opportunities, but the best arguably comes at Turn 8, a tough left-hander which follows a long DRS straight. To increase excitement, should a driver make a move here, he will be under immediate threat, as another long DRS straight follows directly after. This presents racers with an opportunity to get back in front as they head towards the Marina, before a daunting left-right-left combination of turns through from 11 to 13.