- The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the final race of the 2024 F1 season, which features a record 24 races
- Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen has already claimed the 2024 Drivers’ title
- The battle for the 2024 Constructors’ title is still ongoing, with McLaren in the lead
The final round of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship takes place this weekend in Abu Dhabi, but Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen was already crowned this season’s champion in November at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The battle for the Constructors’ title is still very much alive, with McLaren leading and Ferrari a close second.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has been held annually since 2009, always at the Hermann Tilke-designed Yas Marina Circuit, which received some minor layout changes in 2021 to improve the action. These changes provide more overtaking opportunities and also increase speeds and loads through some corners.
The circuit is one where mistakes are costly, as the walls are close, making the Safety Car or a red flag frequent occurrences. The track measures 3.3 miles and features a relatively smooth surface. This, combined with a majority of flowing, high-speed corners, means stress on the tires is low.
Pirelli has nominated its three softest compounds as a result: the C3, C4, and C5. Drivers tend to run a two-stop strategy.
Yas Marina Circuit, home of the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
The weather forecast calls for dry, warm conditions throughout the weekend. However, like other races in the Middle East, the Abu Dhabi race starts at twilight and runs into the night to avoid the heat of the day. That presents a challenge for engineers and drivers, who must adapt to changes in tire and car behavior caused by varying ambient and track temperatures.
Heading into Saturday’s qualifying session and Sunday’s race, Verstappen’s points tally in the 2024 Drivers’ Championship stands at 429. McLaren’s Lando Norris is second with 349 points, and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is third with 341 points. In the Constructors’ Championship, McLaren leads with 640 points, Ferrari is second with 619 points, and Red Bull is third with 581 points.
As the race closes out the season, it will be the last for Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, both of whom have been dismissed from Sauber. Franco Colapinto’s temporary seat at Williams will also be taken over by Carlos Sainz next season. Like Colapinto, Liam Lawson also hasn’t been confirmed for a seat in 2025, though he is widely expected to either retain his current temporary seat at RB or to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull.
Lewis Hamilton will also bid farewell to his Mercedes-Benz AMG team, as he’s set to join Ferrari next season. Hamilton’s entire career has been powered by Mercedes power units (even when at McLaren), and it was with Mercedes that he won six of his seven world titles. Replacing Hamilton at Mercedes will be newcomer Andrea Kimi Antonelli.