Kimi's next race is with Ferrari

According to Turun Sanomat and Autosport Magazine Kimi is not driving in the final two races because of back surgery next week. It was Räikkönen's manager Steve Robertson who told them the news.

His back has been in bad condition after the practice sessions in Singapore. The car had jumped over a curve and hit the ground just hard enough to make his back ache. It is an old injury from the beginning of his career in Formula One so it did not start this year.

Räikkönen was supposed to have surgery after the season but it could effect his start of 2014 with Ferrari and he wants to be in good shape.

After the surgery he can't drive for 4 weeks so that is why he can't drive anymore this season. This also means that next time he jumps in a Formula One car it is not a Lotus, it's a Ferrari.

Davide Valsecchi will take Kimi's place in the final two races. He was also in Abu Dhabi as reserve driver when Kimi announced that he will not drive anymore. Lotus finally talked him over to race one more time.

There has also been rumors that Nico Hülkenberg would drive instead of Valsecchi. Hülkenberg hasn't got his paycheck from Sauber and is making a protest by jumping to Lotus. The irony is that they haven't payed Räikkönen either at Lotus.

Pictures from the Abu Dhabi drivers parade

Today I will post pictures from last Sunday. In this post you will see the drivers parade and later when I have time I will post the pictures from the race.

Some of the pictures may be a bit blurry and I apologize for that. The truck was driving by faster than expected but I got a few nice shots anyways. I also used digital zooming from time to time which makes the quality a bit worse.

If you want to use these pictures on your website or blog etc. please let me know f14lifeblog@gmail.com - it wont cost you anything.

The grid girls bring out the flags.

The marshals waiting to see the drivers.

Here they come!

The drivers start to wave to the crowd.

Esteban Gutierrez is texting to somebody in the middle.

Lewis Hamilton giving a thumbs up in the back of the truck.

Kimi Räikkönen didn't pay that much attention to the crowd but I was lucky. Just as they drove past my seats he gave a small wave.

Mark Webber giving an interview that was shown on the screens.

Nico Hülkenberg with Giedo van der Garde and Adrian Sutil behind him. Just like it usually is in the race.

The South-American boys in the middle: Sergio Perez / Felipe Massa / Pastor Maldonado.

Max Chilton looked straight into my camera..

..and so did Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas (Charles Pic in the middle of them).

The two Nicos are talking and for some reason Nico Rosberg is holding up two fingers. Maybe he just realized the two of them have the same name ;D "So there's two of us..?"

Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton in the back of the truck.

Kimi tells a story and has the attention of Jean-Eric Vergne, Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo. Charles Pic is a bit lonely.

Mark Webber has something on his mind for Jenson Button who is talking with Paul di Resta.

Daniel Ricciardo looks confused.

Then it was over.

More pictures from Abu Dhabi (qualifying)

I promised some more pictures today from the qualifying. Tomorrow I shall continue with pictures from Sunday, the race and the drivers parade. So tomorrow you will see pictures with faces as well and not just the cars driving around the circuit.

And remember if you want to use these pictures just let me know. It wont cost you anything.

I will write again some short captions below the pictures.

This was a tunnel going under the track from F1 village to the West Grandstand.

The tower has a great view of the track and that's why the tickets aren't very cheap.

The lights are on which means that the sun is about to set.

The view from my seat with the lights on.

First man on the track. It's the Iceman with his Lotus.

Yas Hotel with a Caterham and a Marussia driving by.

Mark Webber, Red Bull

I also saw from my seat when drivers went into the pits.

The McLarens

The former McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton with his Mercedes.

The screen let's you know what is going on.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari

Valtteri Bottas, Williams

Nico Hülkenberg, Sauber

Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso

I took a picture with my fisheye lens.

Now it's really starting to get dark.

The Main Grandstand from behind.

Yas Hotel after sunset.

The Main Grandstand.

Felipe Massa, Ferrari

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes

Kimi Räikkönen, Lotus

Pictures I took in Abu Dhabi before Qualifying

I promised some Abu Dhabi pictures today for you guys. Here is the first batch!

Tomorrow I will post from the qualifying and on Sunday I will post the rest from the GP and drivers parade.

If you wish to use my pictures on your own page or anywhere else please notify me. I don't want any money I just want to know.

I will write texts under the pictures so you will know what is going on. If you want to see the pictures in bigger scale just click on them.

There was a lot of small shops where you could buy your team merchandise. I just bought a pair of ear muffs when I realized that the F1 cars were louder than in 2011. Back then I just had ear plugs but now my ears needed more.

There was a contest going on. If you won, you got to take this car on the Yas Marina Circuit for a spin.

Here it was possible to buy some fast food.

If you wanted to eat and follow what was going on at the track you could sit here and look.

This was the view from the tables. The GP2 race had just started.

They had these all over the place.

When the helicopters started to fly around you knew that something was about to begin --> Third practice session.

The view from my seat.

The view on the right.

The view on the right side of the seats.

Ferrari World was not far away.

Romain Grosjean, Lotus

Max Chilton, Marussia and Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber

Jules Bianchi, Marussia

Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso

Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso

Valtteri Bottas, Williams

Felipe Massa, Ferrari

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari

Jenson Button, McLaren

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes

Paul Di Resta, Force India

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

Mark Webber, Red Bull

Adrian Sutil, Force India

Charles Pic, Caterham

Giedo van der Garde, Caterham

Kimi Räikkönen, Lotus

Nico Hülkenberg, Sauber

Sergio Perez, McLaren

Pastor Maldonado, Williams

After the practice session I went to the "F1 Village"

A car made of tires.

A small stage for bands.

Check out the Ferraris on this parking lot!

The sun is slowly going down. It is time to go and see the qualifying!