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Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: F1 Race Results

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: F1 Race Results

Who will win the final race of a thrilling, record-breaking 2024 season?

James Fiorucci 6 min read

In a race where a Title was at stake, who won in the final race of the 2024 Formula One World Championship?

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: F1 Race Results
McLaren’s Lando Norris starts the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from pole (Image Credit: @F1 on X)

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has decided Championships and the futures of many drivers ever since its introduction back in 2009, and this year will be no different in that regard.

While the Drivers’ Championship has already been claimed by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen for a fourth consecutive season, it is still at to play for in the Constructors’ Standings. McLaren are currently 21 points ahead of nearest rivals Ferrari; with 44 points on offer in the race this deficit can be reversed by the Italian marque.

However, the Maranello-based outfit have endured a difficult weekend so far. Charles Leclerc was forced to accept a ten-place grid penalty after replacing his SF-24’s battery pack before FP1. This, along with a disappointing Qualifying performance which saw him fail to make it into Q3, means he will start the Grand Prix from the back of the pack.

On the other hand, McLaren have dominated proceedings over the course of the weekend. Lando Norris claimed pole position with a lap over two tenths of a second quicker than teammate Oscar Piastri, who lines up alongside him on the front row.

Despite the fact that Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz is just behind in P3, it will be very difficult for Ferrari to win their first Constructors’ Title since 2008. McLaren are therefore in prime position to secure their first Constructors’ Championship since 1998.

2024 has provided some of the best racing and Championship battles in the hybrid era of Formula 1. Now it’s time for one last dance this year around the iconic Yas Marina Circuit.

Starting grid

Lights out

All drivers started on the Medium compound apart from Lewis Hamilton, who chose the Hards.

As the five red lights went out, Norris maintained the lead through the first corner. It was a worse start for Piastri; Verstappen tried to make a move down the inside of the Australian and clipped his rear left tyre, sending the latter into a spin and down to the foot of the field. Verstappen fell to P11, allowing Sainz and Pierre Gasly to move up to P2 and P3 respectively.

The other Red Bull of Sergio Perez also spun his RB20 through the chicane, and later pulled to the side of the road to retire from what could be his final race in Formula 1.

With all of the chaos on the opening lap, the Virtual Safety Car was brought out to neutralise the field. It ended on lap three, and George Russell immediately piled the pressure on Gasly in an ensuing battle for third place.

Piastri was in the wars once again as he attempted to overtake Franco Colapinto for 18th. He made contact with the rear of the Williams which resulted in a puncture for Colapinto. The Argentinian was forced into the pits to change his tyres while Piastri followed him in a lap later to change his McLaren’s damaged front wing.

The race develops

Race stewards had a look at the opening lap contact between Verstappen and Piastri, and subsequently handed a ten-second penalty to the four-time World Champion. Valtteri Bottas also received the same penalty for putting Perez into a race-ending spin.

Meanwhile, Norris’ gap out front stalled at just under three seconds ahead of Sainz. Russell continued to push Gasly for third, while Leclerc had gained 12 positions from his starting grid position in seventh.

The penalties continued to be handed out, this time for Piastri for the aforementioned collision with Colapinto a few laps earlier. Zhou Guanyu also had five seconds added to his race time after a false start. Verstappen continued his charge back up the order, making a move on Haas’ Kevin Magnussen to claim P8 on lap nine.

Leclerc overtook Fernando Alonso on the following tour, and had his sights set on Nico Hulkenberg in fifth position. The Monegasque eventually got past the German driver at Turn 9 on lap 12 of 58.

First pitstops

Several midfield cars pulled into the pits from lap ten onwards, including Hulkenberg who dropped to P11 after changing onto the Hard tyre on lap 14. Gasly pitted from third for the same compound on the next lap, falling to tenth behind teammate Jack Doohan though the latter allowed the Frenchman back through immediately.

Those on the new Hard tyres had a clear pace advantage over everyone else, as Gasly quickly dispatched Yuki Tsunoda to snatch eighth from the Japanese driver on lap 18. Hulkenberg eased past Doohan and then Tsunoda a few laps later too.

Seeing this, Leclerc was the first of the leading group to come into the pits for fresh rubber on lap 21. He came out in eighth, behind Gasly but just ahead of Hulkenberg. The other Ferrari of Sainz stayed out, still around four seconds behind Norris in the lead of the Grand Prix.

Lawson was struggling on his old Medium tyres, and quickly fell from sixth to P8 as both Gasly and Leclerc got past the New Zealander. Leclerc subsequently made a move stick on Gasly for P6 on lap 25.

Disaster for Lawson, as he complained on the team radio that his tyres hadn’t been put on securely after his pitstop. He was therefore forced to come in for a second time.

The next lap saw Sainz come in for new Hard tyres, a 2.2-second stop giving him the opportunity for an undercut on Norris. However, the McLaren copied the Ferrari a lap later, coming out still ahead of Sainz. Russel was next in the pits, dropping behind Leclerc and Gasly into seventh place. It only took Russell a single lap to re-overtake Gasly however.

Halfway stage

A disappointing final race for Colapinto, as he came into the pits on lap 27 to retire from the Grand Prix. At the halfway point of the race, Norris was two seconds ahead of Sainz, with Verstappen yet to pit a further eight seconds down in P3. Hamilton was continuing on his starting Hard tyres in fourth; this became third as Verstappen came in to change tyres and serve his ten-second penalty. The Dutchman came out of the pit exit tunnel all the way down in tenth.

Yellow flags were out on lap 30, as Bottas had suffered a puncture after colliding with Magnussen’s VF-24. Magnussen was spun around and had to come into the pits for a third time in the race. Bottas meanwhile had damaged his wheel rim and became the third retirement of the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Hamilton pitted from third on lap 35 for a fresh set of Medium tyres, falling to seventh ahead of Alonso and Verstappen. Verstappen later passed Alonso along the back straight for eighth on lap 37. Further down the order, Magnussen set the fastest lap of the race down in P16.

Another update on the gaps out front. Norris was just over three seconds ahead of Sainz, while Leclerc had moved himself up to third albeit twenty seconds behind his teammate with 20 laps remaining.

Closing in to the back of Hulkenberg was Hamilton on much quicker tyres. The latter made light work of the former, the Mercedes overtaking the Haas before Turn 6 to move up to sixth place. Next up was Gasly, who Hamilton got past just a few minutes later on lap 42.

Final laps

There were further position swaps down the field, as Verstappen easily overtook Hulkenberg along the back straight for seventh with fifteen laps to go. The Red Bull then overtook Gasly for sixth a lap later.

Yet more drama for Piastri, who almost crashed his MCL38 while following closely behind Tsunoda in 12th.

With six laps remaining, Sainz spoke to his team over the radio, fearful that he had picked up a puncture while running over debris. However, his race engineer reassured him by saying that he had nothing to worry about. It was worse news for Lawson, who pulled off the racetrack with a mechanical failure of some sort.

Hamilton had closed in on teammate Russell with just a couple of laps to go, and eased past on the final lap of the race to claim P4.

In the end it was an assured drive from Norris who wins the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, six seconds in front of Sainz while Leclerc makes it a double podium for Ferrari.

Norris’ victory ensures that McLaren win the Constructors’ Championship, 14 points ahead of Ferrari.

Final race classification

Championship Standings
Image Credit: Formula 1

Feature Image Credit: @F1 on X

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