Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024

Welcome to the final race of the 2024 Championship! It's Round 24 at Yas Marina Circuit in Yas Island, near Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. We've got an exciting weekend ahead of us! McLaren and Ferrari both have the chance to win the constructors' championship, but McLaren looks better placed to take it.

This weekend's Race Director is Rui Marques and the Technical Delegate, as always, is Jo Bauer. The stewards for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix are Felix Holter, Derek Warwick, Loïc Bacquelaine, and Mohammed Al Hashmi.

A list of drivers participating in the Grand Prix can be found in Document 11 - Entry List. All documents are sourced from the FIA website.

Thank you to Jesse Humphry for pointing out my mistake with the wrong track layout in the graphic!

Silly Season Summary

There are a few changes ahead of the weekend. Esteban Ocon (#31) will not be racing this weekend after Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes reportedly gave him an ultimatum: race this weekend or participate in the post-season test with Haas. Opting for the latter, Jack Doohan (#61) will be taking his seat early.

It's also a few drivers' final race in Formula 1 for the time being with Kevin Magnussen (#20), Valtteri Bottas (#77), Zhou Guanyu (#24), Liam Lawson (#30), and Franco Colapinto (#43) not having seats next season. This is the last race with their teams for a few drivers, most notably Lewis Hamilton (#44) who is leaving his team of eleven years, Mercedes, to join the Maranello squad at Ferrari alongside Charles Leclerc (#16). He replaces Carlos Sainz (#55) who is headed to Williams to take Logan Sargeant (#2) and now Colapinto's seat. Ocon is headed to Haas, where will he drive alongside Oliver Bearman (#87). Nico Hulkenberg (#27) is leaving Haas for Kick Sauber, before they transition to the Audi F1 team in 2026. He will be partnered with Gabriel Bortoleto, both of whom are replacing Bottas and Zhou. Pierre Gasly (#10) will be partnered with Doohan at Alpine, while George Russell (#63) will be partnered with Kimi Antonelli.

The 2025 season will see four rookies join F1: Antonelli, Bearman, Doohan, and Bortoleto.

A few seats remain in the air, such as Doohan's, who might be replaced by Colapinto. A seat at one of Red Bull's teams might also be up for grabs considering Sergio Perez (#11)'s recent poor performances and the lack of a confirmed seat for Liam Lawson (#30).

Free Practice 1

Free Practice 1 was scheduled to begin at 13:30 GST (09:30 UTC, 01:30 PST) on Friday, December 6.

• Six rookies participated in FP1 as required per Article 32.4(c), which reads:

  On one (1) occasion during the Championship, for each car entered for the Championship, each Competitor must use a driver who has not participated in more than two (2) Championship races in their career. Each Competitor must advise the FIA in writing seven (7) days prior to the start of the relevant Competition with the details of the driver that they will use.

  In other words, each team must reserve two free practice sessions for rookies, one for each driver. Six teams fulfilled their obligations today with Max Verstappen (#1) sitting out for Isack Hadjar, Lance Stroll (#18) sitting out for Felipe Drugovich, Yuki Tsunoda (#22) sitting out for Ayumi Iwasa, Alex Albon (#23) sitting out for Luke Browning, Carlos Sainz (#55) sitting for Arthur Leclerc, and Oscar Piastri (#81) sitting out for Ryo Hirakawa.

  Arthur Leclerc's participation marks the first time in F1 history that brothers have participated in an F1 session as team mates. Leclerc was selected because Bearman, Ferrari's driver academy star, has participated in three Grands Prix, after subbing in for Kevin Magnussen in Brazil.

• Lewis Hamilton (#44) and Lando Norris (#4) were summoned to the Stewards because Hamilton allegedly impeded Norris in turn 16. The Stewards decided no further action because they concluded that it was "kind of a misunderstanding between the drivers involved, but does not meet the threshold of being considered as an unnecessary impeding in Free Practice."

  Documents: Document 16 - Summons - Car 44 - Alleged impeding of Car 4, Document 17 - Summons - Car 4 - Alleged impeding of Car 44, Document 24 - Decision - Car 44 - Alleged impeding of car 4

• Charles Leclerc (#16) has been given a 10 grid place penalty for using his third Energy Store, which will take effect during the race since there is no Sprint this weekend.

  Explanation: Article 28.2 of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations says that "each driver may use no more than ... two (2) energy stores", while Article 28.3 says that the first time a driver exceeds those limits a ten grid place penalty will be imposed, with additional infringements resulting in five grid place penalties. Since this is Leclerc' first additional energy store, the stewards gave him a 10 grid place penalty.

  Documents: Document 18 - New PU elements for this Competition, Document 22 - Infringement - Car 16 - PU elements

• The Technical Delegate noted that Fernando Alonso (#14) used his second control electronics.

  Explanation: Article 28.2 of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations says that "each driver may use no more than ... two (2) control electronics". Alonso had previously only used one control electronics.

  Documents: Document 18 - New PU elements for this Competition

• Alex Albon (#23) and Franco Colapinto (#43) have been given a five grid place penalty for exceeding their allotment of gearbox case and cassette (GBX C & C), and gearbox driveline, gear change components, and auxiliary components (GBX DL).

  Explanation: Article 29.2 allows drivers to use up to five new gearbox components (GBX C & C and GBX DL) in a 24-round championship. Albon had previously used five and Colapinto six. Article 29.2(d) imposes a five grid place penalty per component, but Article 29.2(c) limits it to "the maximum of the penalty stated between the two types of RNC ... not the sum".

  Documents: Document 14 - New RNCs for this Competition, Document 19 - Infringement - Car 23 - RNC Changes, Document 20 - Infringement - Car 43 - RNC Changes

• Red Bull has been fined €900 because rookie Isack Hadjar (#37) exceeded the speed limit in the pit lane by driving at 88.2 km/h.

  Explanation: Article 34.7 sets a speed limit of 80 km/h in the pit lane throughout the season, unless the Race Director amends it following a recommendation from the Safety Delegate. Article 34.7(a) says that "Any Competitor whose driver exceeds the limit during any free practice session, qualifying session, or sprint qualifying session will be fined €100 for each km/h above the limit, up to a maximum of €1000." The stewards, rounding up from 8.2 km/h, fined Oracle Red Bull Racing €900 accordingly.

  Documents: [Document 21 - Infringement - Car 37 - Pit Lane Speeding]

The top three drivers in FP1 were Charles Leclerc (#16) with a 1:24.321, followed by Lando Norris (#4) with a 0.221 second gap (1:24.542), and Lewis Hamilton (#44) with a 0.485 second gap (1:24.806).

The six rookies finished ninth (Felipe Drugovich - 1.150 second gap, 1:25.471), fourteenth (Ryo Hirakawa - 1.553 second gap, 1:25.874), fifteenth (Isack Hadjar - 1.556 second gap, 1:25.877), seventeenth (Ayumu Iwasa - 1.800 second gap, 1:26.121), eighteenth (Arthur Leclerc - 1.858 second gap, 1:26.179), and twentieth (Luke Browning - 2.198 second gap, 1:26.519).

See Document 23 - P1 Classification for the full timing sheet.

Free Practice 2

Free Practice 2 was scheduled to begin at 17:00 GST (13:00 UTC, 05:00 PST) on Friday, December 6.

• The Technical Delegate noted that Lewis Hamilton (#44) and Pierre Gasly (#10) ran a gearbox assembly outside the restricted number components (RNC) allocation.

  Explanation: A driver is allowed to exceed the gearbox assembly RNC allocation up to four times in FP1 or FP2 throughout the season by Article 29.3(g). This was both drivers' third time running an assembly outside the RNC allocation in FP1 or FP2.

  Documents: Document 28 - RNC used outside allocation

The top three drivers in FP2 were Lando Norris (#4) with a 1:23.517, followed by Oscar Piastri (#81) with a 0.234 second gap (1:23.751), and Nico Hulkenberg (#27) with a 0.462 second gap (1:23.979). See Document 25 - P2 Classification for the full timing sheet.

Free Practice 3

Free Practice 3 was scheduled to begin at 14:30 GST (10:30 UTC, 02:30 PST) on Saturday, December 7.

• The Technical Delegate noted that Charles Leclerc (#16) used his seventh exhaust system.

  Explanation: Article 28.2 of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations says that "each driver may use no more than ... eight (8) of each of the four (4) elements constituting a set of Engine exhaust systems". Leclerc had previously used six exhaust systems.

  Documents: Document 30 - New PU elements for this Competition

The top three drivers in FP3 were Oscar Piastri (#81) with a 1:23.433, followed by Lando Norris (#4) with a 0.193 second gap (1:23.626), and Lewis Hamilton (#44) with a 0.390 second gap (1:23.823). See Document 32 - P3 Classification for the full timing sheet.

Qualifying

Qualifying was scheduled to begin at 18:00 GST (14:00 UTC, 06:00 PST) on Saturday, December 7.

Session 1

• Franco Colapinto (#43) had his 1:24.411 lap deleted for track limits at turn 1.

• Sergio Perez (#11) had his lap deleted for track limits at turn 1, then restored after review.

  I am of the opinion that his lap should not have been restored. From the photo posted to F1's Twitter, he looks completely off the track.

• Nico Hulkenberg (#27) received a three grid place penalty for overtaking two cars in the pit lane.

  Explanation: Item 12.4 of Document 13 - Race Director's Event Notes V2 says that "Overtaking is prohibited in the pit exit road unless a car slows with an obvious problem." This is enforced by I.S.C. Article 12.2.1(i), which says that "Failure to follow the instructions of the relevant officials for the safe and orderly conduct of the Event" is considered a breach of the rules.

  Hulkenberg did not dispute the overtaking, but stated that he had no choice if he wanted to get a lap in. The Stewards acknowledged that "the position of the team’s garages limits their options to send the cars out on track", they also said it cannot be used as an excuse to breach the regulations. The grid drop is warranted in their eyes because overtaking in the pit lane is potentially dangerous.

  Documents: Document 33 - Summons - Car 27 - Alleged failure to follow Race Director's instructions (Pit Exit Road), Document 37 - Infringement - Car 27 - Alleged failure to follow Race Director's instructions (Pit Exit Road)

• Lance Stroll (#18) had his lap deleted for track limits at turn 1.

• Kevin Magnussen (#20) had his lap deleted for track limits at turn 14.

• Lewis Hamilton (#44) fails to advance out of Q1 in his final qualifying with Mercedes because of a bollard accidentally thrown onto the racing line by Kevin Magnussen (#20) who was trying to get out of the way. See the video on F1's Twitter page.

Alex Albon (#23), Zhou Guanyu (#24), Lewis Hamilton (#44), Franco Colapinto (#43), and Jack Doohan (#61) were eliminated in Q1.

The top three drivers were Charles Leclerc (#16) with a 1:23.302, followed by Valtteri Bottas (#77) with a 0.179 second gap (1:23.481), and Carlos Sainz (#55) with a 0.185 second gap (1:23.487).

Session 2

• Charles Leclerc had his pole-setting 1:22.980 lap deleted for track limits at turn 1.

Yuki Tsunoda (#22), Liam Lawson (#30), Lance Stroll (#18), Charles Leclerc (#16), and Kevin Magnussen (#20) were eliminated in Q2.

The top three drivers were Carlos Sainz (#55) with a 1:22.985, followed by Max Verstappen (#1) with a 0.013 second gap (1:22.998), and Nico Hulkenberg (#27) with a 0.055 second gap (1:22.040).

Session 3

• Max Verstappen (#1) saved his car from snapping into the barriers on the last turn. See the video on F1's Twitter page.

The Q3 order is as follows: Lando Norris (#4), Oscar Piastri (#81), Carlos Sainz (#55), Nico Hulkenberg (#27), Max Verstappen (#1), Pierre Gasly (#10), George Russell (#63), Fernando Alonso (#14), Valtteri Bottas (#77), and Sergio Perez (#11).

See Document 39 - Final Qualifying Classification for the full order and timing sheet.

See Document 35 - Infringement - Qualifying Deleted Lap Times for more information on the deleted qualifying lap times. Lap times are deleted when a driver violates Article 33.3 of the Sporting Regulations and Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 2(c) of the FIA International Sporting Code, and are authorized by Article 12.4.1.e of the I.S.C.

Race

The starting grid is: Lando Norris (#4), Oscar Piastri (#81), Carlos Sainz (#55), Max Verstappen (#1), Pierre Gasly (#10), George Russell (#63), Nico Hulkenberg (#27), Fernando Alonso (#14), Valtteri Bottas (#77), Sergio Perez (#11), Yuki Tsunoda (#22), Liam Lawson (#30), Lance Stroll (#18), Kevin Magnussen (#20), Zhou Guanyu (#24), Lewis Hamilton (#44), Jack Doohan (#61), Alex Albon (#23), Charles Leclerc (#16), and Franco Colapinto (#43). Albon and Colapinto received five grid place penalties and Leclerc received a ten grid place penalty in FP1, while Hulkenberg received a three grid place penalty in Q1.

This is Norris' eighth pole of the season, tying him up with Max Verstappen. See Document 44 - Final Starting Grid for the grid and qualifying times.

The race was scheduled to begin at 17:00 GST (13:00 UTC, 05:00 PST) on Sunday, December 8.

• Kevin Magnussen (#20) was investigated for a practice start at the pit exit before the race, but no further action was taken.

  Explanation: I.S.C. Article 12.2.1.i requires that drivers follow the "instructions of the relevant officials for the safe and orderly conduct" at an event. Item 10.1 of Document 13 - Race Director's Event Notes V2 prohibits practice starts at the pit exit. The Stewards found that Magnussen did rev his engine "for a fraction of a second before pulling away", but that is not considered a practice start.

  Documents: Document 55 - Decision - Car 20 - Alleged failure to follow Race Director's instructions (Practice start)

• Max Verstappen (#1) was given a ten-second penalty and two penalty points for causing a collision with Oscar Piastri (#81) on the first turn.

  Explanation: I.S.C. Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 2(d) says that "causing a collision ... will be reported to the Stewards and may entail the imposition of penalties up to and including the disqualification of any driver concerned." Verstappen attempted to overtake Piastri on the inside into turn one, but did not get ahead to pull up alongisde. His front right tyre hit Piastri's rear left, causing both to spin. Verstappen spun 360 degrees on the left side of the track, off the racing line, while Piastri spun 180 degrees in the runoff area. The Stewards found Verstappen "wholly at fault".

  Verstappen is up to eight penalty points in the twelve-month period.

  Documents: Document 45 - Infringement - Car 1 - Causing a collision

• Valtteri Bottas (#77) was given a ten-second penalty and two penalty points for causing a collision with Sergio Perez (#11) on the sixth turn.

  Explanation: I.S.C. Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 2(d) says that "causing a collision ... will be reported to the Stewards and may entail the imposition of penalties up to and including the disqualification of any driver concerned." Bottas attempted to overtake Perez on the outside of turn six but ran over the inside kerb and hit Perez's rear left tyre. Bottas was found "wholly at fault".

  These are Bottas' only penalty points in the twelve-month period.

  Documents: Document 46 - Infringement - Car 77 - Causing a collision

• Charles Leclerc (#16) has moved up to eighth from sixteenth in the first few turns of lap one.

• Sergio Perez (#11) is the first to retire from the Grand Prix on lap one after his collision and spin with Bottas.

• Oscar Piastri (#81) was given a ten-second penalty and two penalty points for causing a collision with Franco Colapinto (#43) on the approach to turn six turn on lap four.

  Explanation: I.S.C. Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 2(d) says that "causing a collision ... will be reported to the Stewards and may entail the imposition of penalties up to and including the disqualification of any driver concerned." Piastri braked late on the approach to turn six after misjudging the distance to the cars in front of him and collided with the back of Colapinto.

  Piastri is up to four penalty points in the twelve-month period.

  Documents: Document 47 - Infringement - Car 81 - Causing a collision

• Zhou Guanyu (#24) was given a five-second penalty for a false start.

  Explanation: Article 48.1(a) says that drivers cannot "move after the four (4) second light is illuminated and before the start signal is given by extinguishing all red lights". Zhou moved just after the four-second light was illuminated, but it being a very slight movement and no significant sporting advantage, the Stewards imposed the least severe penalty.

  Documents: Document 48 - Infringement - Car 24 - False Start

• Liam Lawson (#30) was given a ten-second stop-and-go penalty for being released from a pit stop in an unsafe condition.

  Explanation: Article 34.14(d) says that if a car is released in an unsafe condition, a penalty in accordance with Article 54.3(d) ("ten second stop-and-go time penalty") will be imposed on the driver. Lawson was released with his front left wheel not fastened correctly, completed one lap, then came back into the pits to have it fastened correctly.

  Documents: Document 53 - Infringement - Car 30 - Car released in an unsafe condition

• Valtteri Bottas (#77) received a five grid place penalty in his next race and three penalty points for colliding with the side of Kevin Magnussen (#20) in turn six.

  Explanation: I.S.C. Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 2(d) says that "causing a collision ... will be reported to the Stewards and may entail the imposition of penalties up to and including the disqualification of any driver concerned." Bottas was on the inside on the approach to the turn, misjudged his braking "significantly", and collided with the side of Magnussen who was entering on the normal racing line.

  Bottas has a total of five penalty points for the twelve-month period. The Stewards opted to give him a grid penalty instead of a drivethrough penalty because it is the equivalent given he retired from the race shortly after.

  Documents: Document 50 - Infringement - Car 77 - Causing a collision (2nd)

• Valtteri Bottas (#77) has retired from the Grand Prix.

• Lance Stroll (#18) was given a five-second penalty for leaving the track multiple times without a justifiable reason.

  Explanation: Article 33.3 mandates that drivers make "every reasonable effort" to use the track at all times and may not leave without a "justifiable reason." Stroll did not have a justifiable reason on four separate occasions, even after he had been shown the black and white flag on the third occurrence. The Stewards added his penalty to his elapsed race time because of the lack of time for a pit stop. He remains P18.

  Documents: Document 52 - Infringement - Car 18 - Leaving the track without a justifiable reason multiple times

• Lewis Hamilton (#44) pits for mediums and is told by his race engineer, Peter Bonnington, for the last time:

  Ok, Lewis. Strat mode five and it's hammer time.

• George Russell (#63) has been told to keep it "super clean", meaning he can fight with Hamilton for fourth. Hamilton closed a fourteen-second gap.

• Lando Norris (#4) wins the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and secures McLaren's first constructors' championship win since 1998!

• Lewis Hamilton (#44) has overtaken George Russell (#63) a few turns before the chequered flag and advances to fourth!

• Lewis Hamilton (#44) and Zhou Guanyu (#24) do donuts on the grid.

Post-Race

Lando Norris (#4) finished first after leading for the entire race, followed by Carlos Sainz (#55) and Charles Leclerc (#16). Leclerc started from P19 and finished P3, making up sixteen positions. Lewis Hamilton (#44) finished P4 after starting from P16, making up twelve positions, including a pass on his now-former teammate, George Russell (#63), on the final lap. Russell finished fifth, followed by Max Verstappen (#1).

Kevin Magnussen (#20) set the fastest lap on lap 57 with a 1:25.637, but he did not receive the bonus point.

This was the final race for Kevin Magnussen (#20), Franco Colapinto (#43), Liam Lawson (#30), Valtteri Bottas (#77), and Zhou Guanyu (#24).

Four drivers did not finish the race: Sergio Perez (#11) on lap one, Franco Colapinto (#43) on lap 27, Valtteri Bottas (#77) on lap 31, and Liam Lawson (#30) on lap 56. Lawson was still classified because he had completed more than 90% of the laps covered by the winner, Norris, per Article 61.2.

This is Norris' fourth win this season. See Document 57 - Final Race Classification for the full race order.

Congratulations to all the drivers and teams! See you all next year for the 2025 Championship!

Driver's Championship

Constructors' Championship

See Document 58 - Championship Points for the full championship points for both drivers and constructors. See Qatar GP Document 71 - Championship Points for the previous standings.