5 Things to Know Before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Formula 1 is preparing for one last hurrah of the 2024 season on the coast of Abu Dhabi at the Yas Marina Circuit. Here’s what you need to know before the lights go out on Sunday.
Constructors’ Championship
Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive Drivers’ title in Las Vegas a few weeks ago. The Constructors’ Championship, however, is still up for grabs with only Mclaren and Ferrari in contention for the title and the prize money that comes with it, as Red Bull was eliminated last weekend.
The Papaya team from Woking had the chance to seal the Constructors’ Championship at the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar, but a harsh 10-second stop-and-go penalty for Lando Norris dropped him from second to 10th. As a result, Scuderia Ferrari managed to narrow the 24-point gap they carried into the weekend. Now sitting at 619 points, the Scarlet Red team is just 21 points behind McLaren, who lead with 640 points. Everything now hinges on this weekend’s race, with the track expected to favour the Ferrari cars.
With a maximum of 44 points available to score by a single team this weekend, the driver duo would need to deliver a one-two result and score the extra championship point for the fastest lap of the race.
If Ferrari manage to achieve that, McLaren would only need to score 24 points to still clinch the title.
Runner up fight
Lando Norris had hoped to deny Max Verstappen his fourth consecutive title this season. However, fortune has shifted back in the Dutchman’s favour, and now the young Brit is fighting to hold onto second place in the 2024 Drivers’ Championship.
Just eight points behind Norris is the Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc, representing Ferrari, who is eager to close the gap and challenge for the runner-up spot. With the season nearing its climax, both drivers will be looking for every opportunity to secure crucial points and clench the second-best position in the standings.
End of an Era: Lewis’ last race for the Silver Arrows
Lewis Hamilton joined the Mercedes team in 2013—a move many thought would be a regrettable mistake on the Brit’s part. Yet, no one could have foreseen that Hamilton and Mercedes would go on to form the most successful driver-team partnership in the history of the sport.
Together, they claimed six Drivers’ Championships and eight consecutive Constructors’ Titles, with Hamilton securing 84 race victories and 78 pole positions behind the wheel of the Silver Arrows.
Everything comes to an end, however, and earlier this year, the seven-time world champion shocked the racing world by announcing his move to the iconic Ferrari team in Maranello for the 2026 season.
Their paths will part on the very track where their dominant run came to an abrupt and controversial end during the infamous 2021 title decider. Three years ago, Hamilton was poised to secure a record-breaking eighth championship only for the race director Michael Masi to misapply the rules during a late safety car period, ultimately altering the outcome of the title fight.
The team’s lack of competitiveness since then, combined with being offered only a one-year contract by Mercedes, ultimately convinced Hamilton to explore other options. And what better place for a driver of his calibre than the most iconic team in Formula 1’s history?
A season for the history books
After Mercedes and Red Bull’s domination, Formula 1 is back to its truly competitive ways. This season, for the first time in the championship’s history, seven drivers have won more than one race in a single season.
Only in 1981 did six drivers achieve the same feat. Carlos Sainz Jr. equalled the 43-year-old record by winning the Mexican Grand Prix in October, securing his second victory of the season for the first time in his career and becoming the first Spanish speaker to win the Mexican Grand Prix.
By winning the Las Vegas Grand Prix, George Russell tipped the scale and this year’s grid became the only one where seven drivers won more than one race.
- Max Verstappen | 9 wins
- Lando Norris | 3 wins
- Charles Leclerc | 3 wins
- Lewis hamilton | 2 wins
- Oscar Piastri | 2 wins
- Carlos Sainz Jr. | 2 wins
- George Russell | 2 wins
Estaban Ocon Released Early to Haas
Expect to see a new face on the grid this Sunday as Jack Doohan steps in for Esteban Ocon, who will miss out on the Abu Dhabi race in order to participate in post-season testing with the Haas.
It was announced back in June that the Frenchman will not stay with Alpine for the 2025 season. It was later confirmed that he will be joining Haas and Jack Doohan will replace him at the French team.
Jack Doohan will now make his Formula 1 race debut earlier than expected, as he’ll race alongside Pierre Gasly in the Alpine car. Esteban Ocon will sit out the season final but will get some track time at the Yas Marina Circuit during Haas’ post-season testing.
