F1 update – Abu Dhabi GP

The twenty fourth and final round of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship was held at the Yas Marina Circuit in Dubai for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

McLaren clinched the constructors championship after Lando Norris took his fourth victory of the year heading home the Ferrari’s of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc who finished second and third respectively, the latter started from nineteenth on the grid.

Abu Dhabi GP – top 5:

• 1st: Lando Norris – McLaren
• 2nd: Carlos Sainz – Ferrari
• 3rd: Charles Leclerc – Ferrari
• 4th: Sir Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes
• 5th: George Russell – Mercedes

Drivers Championship – top 5:

• 1st: Max Verstappen – Red Bull – 437 points
• 2nd: Lando Norris – McLaren – 374 points
• 3rd: Charles Leclerc – Ferrari – 356 points
• 4th: Oscar Piastri – McLaren – 292 points
• 5th: Carlos Sainz – Ferrari – 290 points

Constructors Championship – top 5:

• 1st: McLaren – 666 points
• 2nd: Ferrari – 652 points
• 3rd: Red Bull – 589 points
• 4th: Mercedes – 468 points
• 5th: Aston Martin – 94 points

Other Highlights:

• Red Bull’s Sergio Perez retired on the opening lap of the race after colliding with Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas, Bottas woud recieve a 10 second time penalty for causing the collision.
• Williams’s Franco Colapinto would retire on lap 27 with engine problems.
• Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas would retire on lap 31 after colliding with Haas’s Kevin Magnussen. He would recieve a 5 place grid penalty for the next race he participates in.
• Red Bull’s Max Verstappen would recieve a 10 second time penalty for colliding with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri at the very first corner on the opening lap of the race.
• McLaren’s Oscar Piastri would recieve a 10 second time penalty for colliding Williams’s Franco Colapinto.
• RB’s Liam Lawson recieved a 10 second stop andd go penalty for a unsafe release during his first pit stop.
• Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll recieved a 5 second time penalty for track limits.
• Mercedes’s Sir Lewis Hamilton started sixteenth on the grid to finish fourth.

News:

• New Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto won this years Formula 2 title whilst his team in Formula 2 Invicta Racing took the teams title.
• Cadillac announced that they will Ferrari power units when they enter Formula 1 in 2026 on a multi year deal.
• Britain’s Alpine backed driver Abbi Pulling wasn’t confirmed F1 Academy champion until qualifying for the Abu Dhabi races, Abbi won race 1 finishing ahead of Red Bull backed driver Hamda Al Qubaisi with Mercedes backed driver Doriane Pin finishing third, in race 2 Pulling took victory ahead of Haas backed driver Chloe Chambers with Red Bull backed driver Hamda Al Qubaisi finishing third, race 3 saw Ferrari backed driver Maya Weug take victory ahead of Pulling with Tommy Hilfiger’s Nerea Marti finishing third.
• RB will be known as Racing Bull’s in 2025.
• Williams announced a new title sponsor in Santander from 2025.
• Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri were given 2 points on their penalty points licence (Verstappen now has 8 points for a 12 month period, whilst Piastri has 4 points for a 12 month period).
• Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas was given 3 points on his penalty points licence (which totals to 5 points in a 12 month period).

Formula 1 returns in 2025 with the first round to be held at Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne, Australia for the Australian Grand Prix on 14th – 16th March 2025.

Here’s Aston and regular contributor Cameron Perkins with the latest from the world of Formula 1.