Infinite Improbability Drive of The Race - Abu Dhabi

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 31 Oct 2009, 14:07

Last IIDOTR for 2009 (Infinite Improbability Drive of the Season coming up!). Remember, the IIDOTR is a democratically-decided award

based on the assumption that, at any moment in time, there is a non-zero probability that even the slowest, most inexperienced and least reliable of underdogs might win the race. That under every rock, there might be a gold nugget. This is the award for that first podium that we all celebrate, for the overtake no-one was expecting, for Nick Heidfeld's first win. This is the award, in short, for the driver or team that makes you go "Woah! Where did THAT come from?!".

Just remember: this is a feel-good award, that will focus on nothing but track action.

Qualy is up, and so far it hasn't been anything like Brazil; wouldn't quite call it dull, but I'm personally missing the wow factor. Two early votes, though:

Lewis Hamilton, who seems to have found some sort of short cut in the track (2/3 of a second fastest than the nearest guy. Where did THAT come from?!), although I want to see what's going on with his race fuel.

Buemi, who has been in the zone all weekend.

Thoughts?

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 31 Oct 2009, 14:17

Buemi gets the nod from me for qualifying - I don't think anyone put him in their top ten predictions.

tristan1117 · Post by **tristan1117** » 31 Oct 2009, 14:35

Buemi: For managing to get that Torro Rosso into Q3

Kobayshi: 11 and 12 in his first 2 races! And this one was dry!

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 31 Oct 2009, 21:37

Thus far Buemi. I didn't see that one coming...

Tealy · Post by **Tealy** » 01 Nov 2009, 00:50

Not voting yet (waiting for the race) but despite Hamilton being the most impressive in my eyes, the fact I expected him to be up the front anyway makes me lean toward Buemi so far.

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 01 Nov 2009, 01:45

So far me is leaning towards Buemi

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 01 Nov 2009, 14:42

Out of nowhere, Kobayashi. Doesn't cease to amaze me, this fellow.

Dj_bereta · Post by **Dj_bereta** » 01 Nov 2009, 14:45

F1 fans, for watch this boring race with near to zero passes.

LionZoo · Post by **LionZoo** » 01 Nov 2009, 14:46

Kobayashi far and away! I started something called Kamui Watch with my friends when I heard he was driving in Suzuka, though at the time it was more a joke to tally up the rookie mistakes as I expected him to be dead last, especially when I saw the conditions in Suzuka. Two races later and he's secured a fine sixth. I will be absolutely gutted and will probably never forgive Toyota if I can't have my Kamui Watch next year!

Enforcer · Post by **Enforcer** » 01 Nov 2009, 14:46

Kobayashi. Maybe Buemi either.

Enrique Bernoldi · Post by **Enrique Bernoldi** » 01 Nov 2009, 14:52

Kobayashi - brilliant move on Button in the middle of the race and a well deserved 6th place.

Valrys · Post by **Valrys** » 01 Nov 2009, 14:54

Enrique Bernoldi wrote:Kobayashi - brilliant move on Button in the middle of the race and a well deserved 6th place.

Which I missed because my landlord came for the rent...grrrr.

But yes, Kobayashi, definately, I was particularly impressed with his good pace while running in 3rd, shame he didn't get up to speed quickly enough on the soft tyres, or he could've been 4th :shock:

Warren Hughes · Post by **Warren Hughes** » 01 Nov 2009, 14:54

Only one choice for IIDOTR this week: the man, the legend, the cowboy: Kamui Kobayashi!!!

Also an honourable mention for Nick Heidfeld, an excellent 5th in BMW's last race.

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 01 Nov 2009, 15:27

Cowboyashi hands down. Please Mr Howett, give him a drive next year?

Captain Hammer · Post by **Captain Hammer** » 01 Nov 2009, 15:34

Enrique Bernoldi wrote:Kobayashi - brilliant move on Button in the middle of the race and a well deserved 6th place.

You have to remember that JB had literally just come out of the pits, and that tyres took much longer than usual to get up to temperature in Abu Dhabi - look at Q3, when all of the drivers stayed out on the circuit until the end once they had left the pits. Button wasn't really racing for position at the time. While Kobayashi's move was impressive, it was also unnecessary; he would have - or at least should have - known that. It was very close to an ugly contact in there; Kobayashi should have waited until the straight to simply go around the Brawn.

LionZoo · Post by **LionZoo** » 01 Nov 2009, 15:40

Captain Hammer wrote:
Enrique Bernoldi wrote:Kobayashi - brilliant move on Button in the middle of the race and a well deserved 6th place.
You have to remember that JB had literally just come out of the pits, and that tyres took much longer than usual to get up to temperature in Abu Dhabi - look at Q3, when all of the drivers stayed out on the circuit until the end once they had left the pits. Button wasn't really racing for position at the time. While Kobayashi's move was impressive, it was also unnecessary; he would have - or at least should have - known that. It was very close to an ugly contact in there; Kobayashi should have waited until the straight to simply go around the Brawn.

I know you like Button, but that move was absolutely vital for Kobayashi's race. Button was heavier and Kobayashi needed to get by him to gain some time on the two stoppers. The pass was clean, nowhere close having contact and a very professional move. I don't understand your comment on the straight, Kobayashi's move WAS made on the straight, it just required some setup earlier in the lap to make sure Button's exit onto the straight wasn't as fast as it could be. The time he gained after he was past Button probably leapfrogged him from 8th to 6th in the final standings. As much as Button was disadvantaged, how many moves for position was there in this race? Kudos to Kobayashi for spicing up the race.

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 01 Nov 2009, 15:44

Captain Hammer wrote:While Kobayashi's move was impressive, it was also unnecessary; he would have - or at least should have - known that. It was very close to an ugly contact in there; Kobayashi should have waited until the straight to simply go around the Brawn.

I'm going to freeze the image there and pounce in this whole idea of not being necessary to fight for position.

That, I'm afraid, is the Vettel school of thought (we've seen him doing that a lot this year), aka the fastest way to fall asleep while watching a race. That will end next year, for sure. It's a bit like saying that Lewis shouldn't have attacked at the end in Monza (I think he did well to attack and crash, instead of settling for position; we've discussed that before), and you might also stretch it to say Button shouldn't have attacked Webber today, because he's got the championship in his pocket and Mark had settled for fourth in the standings as well. What is the logic behind that? Too much logic, I suppose.

Vettel has gone down in my appreciation this year for doing too much logic, and Button has gone up for becoming an aggressive overtaker, which he clearly wasn't a few years ago. Here's to every driver that does something stupid just for the sake of it!

Jack O Malley · Post by **Jack O Malley** » 01 Nov 2009, 15:53

kostas22 wrote:Cowboyashi hands down.

seconded! Banzai!

watka · Post by **watka** » 01 Nov 2009, 16:00

Kobayashi - especially considering him against the other rookies (namely Grosjean - who is out of GP2 just as he was). Buemi gets a mention for showing he can establish a good career in F1, and maybe even get promoted to Red Bull in 2011.

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 01 Nov 2009, 16:01

Cowboyashi gets it from me. Not only did he pull of that impressive overtake on Button, and put his much more experienced teammate to shame, he beat Raikkonen at the start. Granted, the Ferrari isn't exactly the best car on the grid right now, but it still does have KERS.

Honourable mention to Buemi as well - sterling performance from him. As I said in the Rantbox, he's a diamond in the rough. Give him a top car and a wise old hand, and he'll do alright.

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 01 Nov 2009, 16:26

The Cowboy, Buemi and Heidfeld.

And maybe Lewis Hamilton's brakes for providigna an alternative to the procession I and others were predicting.

Debaser · Post by **Debaser** » 01 Nov 2009, 16:33

The Cowboy, he beat his teammate fair and square and kept his composure passing Button. Yeah what he did was risky, but we need more of that. Today we got a retirement of a front-runner, some good battles and we got a decent race for it.

fjackdaw · Post by **fjackdaw** » 01 Nov 2009, 16:54

Boring answer from me, I'm afraid. KK.

Many Blue Flags · Post by **Many Blue Flags** » 01 Nov 2009, 16:54

Buemi - Kept it all together, and for me kind of fitting that he got points at both the start and finish of the season.

DonTirri · Post by **DonTirri** » 01 Nov 2009, 16:57

My vote goes to Kobayashi. The guy is more promising than Takuma. And his drive gave me an inspiration.

(yes, i made it myself)

Ferrim · Post by **Ferrim** » 01 Nov 2009, 16:57

After his Brazilian performance, it isn't exactly a IIDOTR, because you could see it happening. But I think it has to be Kobayashi's anyway.

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 01 Nov 2009, 17:02

DonTirri wrote:My vote goes to Kobayashi. The guy is more promising than Takuma. And his drive gave me an inspiration.

(yes, i made it myself)

Nice, but you have to add in some Cowboy reference. Then it's my new desktop background

thehemogoblin · Post by **thehemogoblin** » 01 Nov 2009, 18:00

Buemi and Cowboyashi.

Ross Prawn · Post by **Ross Prawn** » 01 Nov 2009, 19:32

Koboyashi

Winterspring · Post by **Winterspring** » 02 Nov 2009, 05:18

Buemi - a point but 2nd fastest lap in the race only beaten by Seb by 4 hundredths of a second

Kobayashi - Did well on that fuel load and still beat Heikki and Kimi.

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 02 Nov 2009, 06:44

Koboyashi and Buemi in that order
Oh and I'm gonna say that give him a good car and Koboyashi could easily be a world champion...

Tealy · Post by **Tealy** » 02 Nov 2009, 10:00

Kobayashi, enough said.

jackanderton · Post by **jackanderton** » 02 Nov 2009, 10:25

Kobayashi

after than Buemi

and Liuzzi did alright.

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 02 Nov 2009, 13:19

+1 with Kobayashi and Buemi.

lostpin · Post by **lostpin** » 02 Nov 2009, 15:53

Kobayashi all the way.

ferret · Post by **ferret** » 04 Nov 2009, 22:33

Kobayashi.

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 04 Nov 2009, 22:33

Ladies and gents, cast your votes if you haven't yet. Voting will close tomorrow - for a reason. It is coming... :mrgreen:

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 04 Nov 2009, 22:34

Can we just wrap this up and declare Cowboyashi the winner already?

ImissJORDAN · Post by **ImissJORDAN** » 04 Nov 2009, 23:08

No matter how cold Jenson's tyres were, you can't deny how clinical that move was. It was super racing instinct and very professional.

RAK · Post by **RAK** » 05 Nov 2009, 16:24

Kamui Kobayashi, for an exceptional result with a certain degree of aggression to his driving. Exceeded expectations from the first drive.

Honourable mention to Sebastien Buemi, who has come quite a long way in his year in the sport. I keep forgetting that he only began at the start of the season.