Formula One / Ralph Ellis / 10 November 2011 /

As the sun sets on a season that's been dominated by the Bulls, Ferrari are desperate to retain their lustre. A few points for either of their drivers in Abu Dhabi would certainly help...

Red Bull might have run away with the Constructors' Championship, and McLaren may be their most serious rival, but when it comes to the glamour team of motor racing, Ferrari remains the name on everybody's lips.

Maybe it's because we all grew up dreaming of owning one of their shiny red road cars. More recently their emblem adorned the suit of Michael Schumacher when he virtually owned the sport of F1. But if you want an idea of how even the drivers remain seduced by the legend and history of the iconic Italian sports car brand, you only have to listen to the chatter in Abu Dhabi.

This is the time of year when the deals are being done over who drives what next season. This morning, Mercedes announced that Nico Rosberg had signed an extension to stay with them for another two seasons. Meanwhile, Virgin are putting serious pressure on Jerome D'Ambrosio with the threat they'll replace him - while the young Belgian's father says: "It's no problem because maybe he'll go to Ferrari next year."

But while Ferrari still have the glamour, they have been struggling to back it up with results - and this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has become critical if they are to maintain their status as the genuine third big team of Formula One rather than slip further behind what's fast becoming a Big Two.

As a venue, the ultra modern circuit of Yas Marina holds bad memories for Fernando Alonso. It was here last year that he watched his chance of winning the title disappear into the distance as Vettel cruised round in first place. Meanwhile, he stayed stuck behind the Renault of Russian Vitaly Petrov, unable to find a chance to pass him on a track that doesn't help overtaking.

Certainly Ferrari's chief Stefano Domenicali has been stepping up the pressure on his men to deliver this weekend. He's left Alonso in no doubt that with new DRS zones to encourage overtaking there can be no excuses for a repeat of last year's flop. And he's also making sure Felipe Massa gets the message that it's time he started getting his own driving right rather than getting sucked deeper into a feud with Lewis Hamilton. Domenicali has assured Massa he will still be in the cockpit for his team in 2012, but left a question mark over what will happen next.

The race in Abu Dhabi is likely to be dominated - yet again - by Vettel who is looking for a hat-trick of wins on the Yas Marina circuit. He's as short as [2.34] in the early market for the qualifying and race win double. So if you're looking for some value then to back Alonso for a podium finish at [2.1] looks the best way to go. In a Grand Prix held at sunset, it makes sense to support a driver who is trying to keep his team out of the Formula One twilight zone!

Five things you might not know about Jerome D'Ambrosio

1. Born December 1985 in Etterbeek, Belgium, he got into motor racing by chance when aged nine his mother took him to a go-karting track on holiday in Tenerife. He enjoyed it so much his dad Henri bought him a kart for Christmas.

2. From there he became three times Belgian karting champion, and in 2003 won the Belgian Formula Renault championship in his first season in single seaters.

3. He spent his entire GP2 career with the DAMS squad, so holds the record for contesting more races with one team at that level than any other driver.

4. His family are from Italian descent - he's a Juventus fan when it comes to football - and he speaks three languages - French, Italian and English

5. Off the track he drives an old Fiat 500.

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