Introduction
Lando Norris has brought the season to a close in style by winning the 2024 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in dominant form, the Briton putting in an assured drive to claim victory and helping McLaren clinch their first constructors’ championship since 1998.
It was a strong start to the race for pole-sitter Norris amid chaos behind him, with Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen making contact in a battle for second, which saw the latter receive a penalty and the former drop down the order. There was also further trouble for the Australian, who received his own punishment for a collision with the Williams of Franco Colapinto.
And while various other fights played out across the field – which saw a solid performance from McLaren’s title rivals Ferrari – Norris kept a cool head up front to triumph, taking the chequered flag by five seconds from former teammate Carlos Sainz, which confirmed that the constructors’ crown had gone to the papaya squad.
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Charles Leclerc put in a fighting performance for the Scuderia to climb back up to third, having started back in P19 on the grid. Behind him, a late duel played out between Mercedes teammates George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, with the seven-time world champion snatching fourth in the final moments to bring his chapter with the squad to an emotional close.
Verstappen was sixth, the Red Bull man having bounced back from his earlier penalty, with Pierre Gasly following in seventh as Alpine sealed P6 in the constructors’ championship, while Nico Hulkenberg was eighth for Haas ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso in ninth. Piastri’s recovery drive ended in 10th place, a disappointing outcome for the Australian despite his team’s success.
Alex Albon missed out on points for Williams in P11, as did RB’s Yuki Tsunoda in P12, while Zhou Guanyu ended his last race for Kick Sauber in P13 ahead of the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll in P14. Meanwhile, Jack Doohan’s debut for Alpine ended with a P15 result ahead of his first full season in the sport next year.
Kevin Magnussen was the final classified runner for Haas in 16th, perhaps not the ending that the Dane was hoping for in his last outing for the squad, while Liam Lawson’s season came to a dramatic end after he was forced to pull his smoking RB off the track in the last laps.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=41]Valtteri Bottas’s chapter with Kick Sauber ended prematurely, having retired the car earlier in the race following a puncture. There was also a similar finish to Colapinto’s stint with Williams, which came to a close on Lap 26.
The final retiree was Sergio Perez, who suffered a Lap 1 spin following contact with Bottas and recorded a DNF amid continued speculation over whether he will return next season.
Mario Isola, Motorsport Director, Pirelli:
First and foremost, congratulations to McLaren on winning the constructors’ title, and well done to Ferrari for pushing them all the way to the very end, which made for an exhilarating finale that was full of suspense to entertain the fans.
It was the best way possible to end a hectic season, the longest ever in Formula 1 history. We believe we met the expectations of the teams and the other major players in this sport, the FIA and Formula 1, who are our most important “customers”. We did it by providing a reliable, high-performance product, delivering the desired effect of unpredictable racing. It’s no coincidence that this season has been. Well balanced between races where a one-stop strategy worked best and those where a two-stop was more effective, thus meeting the objectives we had set.
As for today’s race, we saw less graining than during Friday’s free practice, and even then, it had little impact on performance. Degradation was also minimal, so much so that the one-stop was the most effective strategy, even with many different divisions of stint lengths. Verstappen, for example, stopped at exactly half-distance, while others like Gasly and Hulkenberg stopped very early and then managed to finish in the points. We still have one more task to complete this year. This coming Tuesday, we will be back on track at Yas Marina for a very important collective test. All the teams will be able to evaluate five of the six compounds homologated for 2025, except the C1, which is unsuited to this track. Furthermore, we will supply 2024 tyres for the usual rookie end-of-season test.
The day on the track:
On the starting grid, 19 of the 20 drivers were on the Medium, with only Hamilton opting for the Hard. The one-stop strategy proved to be quickest: of the top ten finishers, only Fernando Alonso (eighth for Aston Martin) made a two-stop work. Piastri also pitted twice but that was as a result of a collision with Verstappen at the first corner on the opening lap.
The longest stint overall was delivered by two specialists in this field, namely Alex Albon and Nico Hulkenberg, who did 45 laps on a set of Hards. As for the Medium, the prize goes to Max Verstappen, who split his race exactly in two, doing 29 laps on the C4 followed by the same number on the C3.
The C5’s appearance in the race came courtesy of Magnussen, who clearly only fitted it in order to set the fastest race lap, which he did both on his first set, used for a total of 25 laps and then on the second, fitted just for the last two laps.
2024 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Race Results
Pos | No | Driver | Country | Team | Time | Points | Overall |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 1 | Max Verstappen | Netherlands | Red Bull Racing | 1:31:05.323 | 25 | 429 |
2. | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Monaco | Scuderia Ferrari | +6.031s | 18 | 341 |
3. | 81 | Oscar Piastri | Australia | McLaren Racing | +6.819s | 15 | 291 |
4. | 63 | George Russell | Great Britain | Mercedes-AMG Petronas | +14.104s | 12 | 235 |
5. | 10 | Pierre Gasly | France | Alpine F1 Team | +16.782s | 10 | 36 |
6. | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Spain | Scuderia Ferrari | +17.476s | 8 | 272 |
7. | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Spain | Aston Martin F1 Team | +19.867s | 6 | 68 |
8. | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | China | Kick Sauber F1 Team | +25.360s | 4 | 4 |
9. | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Denmark | Haas F1 Team | +32.177s | 2 | 14 |
10. | 4 | Lando Norris | Great Britain | Mclaren Racing | +35.762s | 2 | 349 |
11. | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Finland | Kick Sauber F1 Team | +50.243s | 0 | 0 |
12. | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Great Britain | Mercedes-AMG Petronas | +56.122s | 0 | 211 |
13. | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Japan | Visa Cash App F1 Team | +61.100s | 0 | 30 |
14. | 30 | Liam Lawson | New Zealand | Visa Cash App F1 Team | +62.656s | 0 | 4 |
15. | 23 | Alexander Albon | Thailand | Williams Racing | +1 lap | 0 | 12 |
16. | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Germany | Haas F1 Team | DNF | 0 | 37 |
17. | 11 | Sergio Perez | Mexico | Red Bull Racing | DNF | 0 | 152 |
18. | 18 | Lance Stroll | Canada | Aston Martin F1 Team | DNF | 0 | 24 |
19. | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Argentina | Williams Racing | DNF | 0 | 5 |
20. | 31 | Esteban Ocon | France | Alpine F1 Team | DNF | 0 | 23 |
2024 Constructor Standings
Pos | Team | Points |
---|---|---|
1. | McLaren Racing | 666 |
2. | Scuderia Ferrari | 652 |
3. | Red Bull Racing | 589 |
4. | Mercedes-AMG Petronas | 468 |
5. | Aston Martin F1 Team | 94 |
6. | Alpine F1 Team | 65 |
7. | Haas F1 Team | 58 |
8. | Visa Cash App F1 Team | 46 |
9. | Williams Racing | 17 |
10. | Kick Sauber F1 Team | 4 |
Here are the team-by-team highlights:
McLaren Racing
Hear from McLaren Formula 1 drivers Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Team Principal Andrea Stella after the 2024 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=41]When the lights go out, Lando retains P1, but there is contact between Oscar and Verstappen, which drops the Australian to P19. During a Virtual Safety Car restart, Oscar passes Colapinto for P18, whilst Lando retains P1. Oscar makes an early pit stop and switches to the Hard tyre. He is then given a 10s-time penalty for a collision with Colapinto. Sainz pits on Lap 25. Lando follows one lap later and switches to Hards, maintaining P1 ahead of the Ferrari. Oscar serves his time penalty in the pit lane when he changes to fresh Hard tyres on Lap 33. He returns in P15. Oscar gains P12 as those around him pit, with Lando still in P1, three seconds ahead of Sainz. In the closing laps, Oscar gains two further positions as Lando extends his lead at the front of the field. Lando’s win seals the 2024 Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship for McLaren.
Lando Norris
This feels incredible. The team has done a fantastic job this season to come from where we were initially. I’m so proud of everyone. It’s been a lovely journey, and ending the season with another race win is perfect. A big thank you goes to everyone at McLaren, everyone in Papaya, and everyone who supported us this year. It’s been tough, but for us to win the Constructors’ Championship after 26 years is pretty special. I’ve learned much from this year, the team, and the competitors around me. I’m excited to get next year going.
Oscar Piastri
We did it! I am so incredibly happy for the team. Whilst it was a tough race, we managed to seal the Constructors’ Championship, which means more than anything to everyone.
I want to thank every single person at McLaren for what they’ve done for Lando and me this year. We’ve had so many highs, and whilst there have also been lows, we kept pushing, and it all culminated today. I am so excited for the future with this team. We go again next year.
Andrea Stella
McLaren is the 2024 Constructors’ Championship winner. I’m incredibly proud of the entire team, both trackside and back at the factory. It’s been 26 years since we’ve won the Championship. It’s a wonderful feeling this evening. Our work has paid off, and we’ll be celebrating with everyone.
I would like to give my thanks to each and everyone on the team for their hard work and dedication, as well as to our shareholders, partners, and fans for their unwavering support. I’d also like to thank our colleagues at HPP for the successful collaboration. It’s been a hard-fought Championship. Well done to Ferrari, who drove an excellent race today as well and was a great competitor. It won’t be long until we are heading down into next year, but until then, we’ll make sure to take in every moment and celebrate our win.
Red Bull Racing
Dutchman Max Verstappen finished in sixth place at the final 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship race in Abu Dhabi to cap a fourth title in a row with 437 points overall for the season.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=41]Oracle Red Bull Racing teammate Sergio Pérez did not finish after early trouble and ended the season in eighth overall. The team finished in third place in the 2024 constructors’ standings.
Max Verstappen, Driver, Red Bull Racing
My start was good, and I went up the inside and then realised it would be tight at the apex with Oscar. I tried to stay on the kerb, but unfortunately, we clipped the tyres and spun, which wasn’t great. I have already apologised to Oscar; he is one of the last guys you want to come together with, and it wasn’t great. After that, we had a tough race and were struggling with tyres as they were overheating. Unfortunately, we were just stuck in that position, so we didn’t make it up with the pace. It has been a long season, and we haven’t much to fight for today. I’m looking forward to the break, I’m going to switch off, relax and spend some much needed time with friends and family. We have things to work on for next year and already have good ideas, but we will see when we get into the car next year. We have had an up-and-down season, and McLaren has been firm from Miami onwards. I want to thank the Team for the season, it has been a long one but we have stuck together and ultimately to come away with a Drivers’ Championship has been fantastic.
Sergio Pérez, Driver, Red Bull Racing:
It hasn’t been a great year, and we wanted a better result today, but in the end, it probably summed up the season. It was just regrettable to have a collision with Valtteri. Turning into turn six, I got hit from the back. I think he broke too late, but I felt the car was already damaged before that. I was upshifting, and the gearbox was spinning, so I think there was potentially an engine issue prior. I ended up losing my drive and couldn’t continue. I am relived this season is over in a way, it has been a very frustrating and difficult year. I am just happy it is all over, and I can look forward to it now. We will see what happens in the coming days. I don’t know what will happen at the moment; I have a contract, and the Team and I have been talking. It’s a case of discussing what is best for everybody moving forward.
CHRISTIAN HORNER, CEO and Team Principal
Firstly, we have to congratulate McLaren, it’s incredibly tough to win a Championship and they have not taken their foot off the gas all season. Full credit where it is due; they deserve that trophy. A season where we won nine races, more than any other team, and successfully defended the Drivers Championship equates to an exceptional year. Max has been outstanding. It’s been a long season with 24 races, and none of it would have been possible without the hard work from everyone both here at the track and back in Milton Keynes. Their continued drive and determination throughout the year were long and relentless. Without our partners’ support, none of this would have been possible, and we are incredibly grateful for all that they bring and what we continue to build. Equally, a special thanks to Honda for their consistency and contribution. I would also like to thank our fans; we are here because of you, and that is why we race. There wouldn’t be any F1 if it were not for them. Finally, a special thanks to Max and Checo. Their hard work and relentless pursuit throughout the campaign have not always bore the fruits they deserved, but they remained committed and resolute. We will look to recharge over the next couple of months as we head into 2025 and look forward to coming back fighting once again. Thank you to all, we wish you a happy holidays and a prosperous New Year!
Scuderia Ferrari
There is no need for recrimination for Scuderia Ferrari HP after today’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit. Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc and the whole team produced the best race possible to finish second and third behind Lando Norris in the McLaren, the English team, thus securing the Constructors’ title by just 14 points – 666 to 652. This is the smallest winning margin in the Constructors’ since the race winner has been awarded 25 points (2010).
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=41]Carlos drove a great race, always putting Norris under pressure, although no mistakes were forthcoming from the Englishman. Charles got the perfect start and then produced a memorable opening lap, which later, combined with a perfectly executed strategy and pit stop, saw him make up a total of 16 places to make it to the podium for the 13th time this year, the 22nd for the team.
Carlos Sainz #55
We gave it everything we had. I did my best to try to keep Lando (Norris) under pressure, but today, McLaren was just a bit faster overall. Congratulations to the Papaya team for the Constructors’ Championship. They fought hard and deserve it!
As a team, we should be proud of what we’ve accomplished this year—five wins and numerous podiums is no small feat in such a tight championship.
It was an emotional parade lap after the chequered flag, and I suspect tonight will bring even more emotions.
Thank you, Scuderia Ferrari; this is truly a special team. These four years together are something I will always cherish, and I have no words to describe it in a simple final quote. Grazie di cuore!
Charles Leclerc #16
Even though the race itself was incredible, we fell short of our primary objective of winning the constructors’ title, so the disappointment is there today.
The first lap was strong, and I made up 11 positions, going from P19 to P8. The whole first stint was good, but it was a bit tricky to overtake because there was a train of DRS ahead. We made it through and preserved our tyres well, so I am delighted with how we managed our race. There was nothing we could have done better.
Speaking about Carlos, it has been incredible to share the team with him for four seasons. We pushed each other to new heights and moved the team positively, always keeping respect for each other. Thanks to his contribution, we are here today, missing our world title by 14 points. I wish him all the best and look forward to seeing what he will do in the future.
Looking at next year, I hope that we can start the season off with a powerful car. This is probably where we missed our this year, coming back strong in the second half of the season. We made a significant impact thanks to the incredible work of everyone back in our factory who created the upgrades, which let us perform the way we have. This gives me confidence for the future,e and I look forward to being back on track in 2025. A big thank you to the team that made this season possible.
Frédéric Vasseur – Team Principal
We pushed all the way to the last corner of the last lap. I am pleased with our job today because it was unexpected to finish P2 and P3, given where Charles was on the grid.
Today, Charles drove a great race. Before the start, I had a bet with him on what his position would be at the end of lap 1, and we both lost it as he was too far ahead of what we had both predicted. We can say it’s not today that we lost the championship. Finishing 14 points behind McLaren is frustrating as it is a minimal margin, less than 2% of the total available. I have massive respect for what McLaren has done in recent years. So congratulations to them.
From our side, the target is never to be P2, so if you are not P1, it means you have to improve, but I’d say we had a good season, making a solid step forward as we scored 50% more points than last season, but the target remains that of winning titles.
And finally, a word for Carlos: he was always very professional and consistent, and he and Charles always fought each other hard, which is a good thing as you progress faster as a team this way. I wanted to see the team pulling in the same direction, and Carlos did more than his share in achieving that.
For next year, everyone in the team does not need to look for motivation because we already have it! From tomorrow, we will already be focused on 2025.
Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team
Lewis Hamilton finished fourth with team-mate George Russell fifth in Sunday’s 2024 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The race marked the 246th and last Grand Prix for the team and Lewis, the most successful driver-team partnership in the sport’s history.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=41]Starting from P16, Lewis used an offset Hard-Medium strategy to cut through the field, taking P4 on the last lap. Meanwhile, George was on the conventional Medium-Hard strategy and progressed from his starting position of P5. After the race, co-owner, CEO, and Team Principal Toto Wolff called Lewis’s race “the drive of a world champion.” Congratulations go to McLaren, along with our Mercedes AMG High-Performance Powertrains colleagues at Brixworth, as the Papaya squad claimed this year’s Constructors’ Championship.
George Russell
Lewis had a fantastic race, so I want to say a big well done to him. He has been an incredible team-mate and someone I admired when I was karting and racing in the junior formula. He is not only the greatest driver of all time but is the type of person that every racing driver should aspire to be. I wish him well in his next challenge and look forward to battling him on track.
Today, I didn’t have the pace to compete for more than P4. I’ve not had the speed all weekend, and ending the season like that is a shame. We need to go away and understand why that was. That said, there are many positives we can take away from the season. We have got back to winning races and, on occasion, have been competing right at the front on merit. We know there is more we need to do to compete for championships, but we are all determined to make progress and do so next year. Finally, congratulations to McLaren on winning the Constructors’ Championship. They have been a worthy adversary all season and are deserving winners.
Lewis Hamilton
That was a tough but delightful race. I had to bide my time at the beginning on the Hard tyre and struggled to progress. Coming through the field on the medium compound in the final stages felt great, though. To come through the field from P16 and make it back to P4 was awesome. I’m really happy with how my evening and the car felt. It was a good way to end our time together!
After the chequered flag, I was focused on just taking it all in, knowing that this was my last time in a Mercedes cockpit and savouring the emotions. I want to hold on to that moment, so I just sat there, contemplating everything we’ve been through together, all the ups and downs, and the success we’ve enjoyed. I can’t tell you how much I am going to miss this team. I’ve worked with them every day for the last 12 years and there is so much love there. That won’t disappear, no matter that we will be racing each other on track next year.
Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO
We have spent 12 years with Lewis. It is not only the longest driver and team partnership in the sport’s history but also the most successful. A relationship of that length and a journey like that creates a bond, trust, and shared values that are rare nowadays. It is a period of time that we will always hold close to our hearts and one that I personally will treasure forever. We all wanted to end on a high despite knowing that whatever happened in our final race today didn’t impact our legacy. I am so glad we were able to do so. He will always be a part of our family, and if it isn’t us winning on track, we hope that it is him.
Without the bollard getting in Lewis’s way yesterday in Qualifying, I think he could have fought for victory. He was quick throughout today and made the alternative strategy work well. He drove like a world champion. That is befitting of our time together and a real statement. George had a more challenging time with it. He hasn’t had the pace in the car this weekend to fight for the podium, but he did well to bring home solid points.
Congratulations to McLaren on their success in the Constructors’ Championship. They have done a fantastic job this year. They have built a strong team with good engineering, good leadership, and good drivers. They are fully deserving of this year’s title. We are pleased for our colleagues at Brixworth too; this is a success also for Mercedes Motorsport and HPP. While we know that the work team is the absolute key priority, seeing a customer team do so well is great.
Aston Martin F1 Team
The final round of the 2024 Formula One World Championship has concluded in Abu Dhabi. Get the thoughts of Lance and Fernando following the last race of the year.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=41]On a positive note, the team rounded off the 2024 Formula One season with points secured at the 2024 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi as Fernando finished in ninth, whilst Lance was classified in 14th.
Fernando Alonso
It’s been a positive season end, with two races finishing at the points in Qatar and now here in Abu Dhabi. We had to execute a perfect race and we capitalised on some mistakes by our rivals around us.
I’m looking forward to taking a break over the winter after the longest season in the sport’s history. We can reset and learn from all of the difficulties and apply them to next season. We have some great new additions to welcome to the team in 2025, and I’m excited about what’s to come.
Lance Stroll
I had a good start to the race and made up four positions on the opening lap, but the car didn’t have the performance to fight for much more today.
After the pit stops, we just didn’t have the pace to climb all the way back through the traffic into the points, but we made a few positions back, passing [Jack] Doohan and [Yuki] Tsunoda.
This wasn’t the season we hoped for, but we will push hard to come back stronger next season. Thanks to the team for all their hard work over a challenging year.
Mike Krack, Team Principal:
A long season comes to an end in Abu Dhabi. We have finished P5 in the Constructors’ championship. There are still positives from this year, especially as the midfield battle has been so close.
Today, we come away with some hard-earned points for Fernando – a little reward for everyone’s effort at Silverstone and trackside in Abu Dhabi. Lance battled well but didn’t have the benefit of free air that Fernando did, and so had the more difficult job of navigating traffic and managing tyres. He came out on top following a decisive move on Yuki [Tsunoda] towards the end of the race.
Congratulations to McLaren on its Constructors’ championship – they’ve had an incredible season. I want to thank our drivers, our team trackside and back at the AMR Technology Campus. Together with our fantastic partners, colleagues, and, importantly, our fans, you are what drives Aston Martin Aramco forward, and it is a privilege to be a part of this great team.
Visa Cash App F1 Team
Visa Cash App RB’s Yuki Tsunoda finished outside the points in 12th place, while New Zealand teammate Liam Lawson did not finish after pit issues at the 2024 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as they finished eighth in the constructors’ standings.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=41]Liam Lawson
It was a tough way to end the season, which is a shame because we started really well. It was probably one of the best races I’ve driven, even though we were a couple of laps down, the pace was actually really strong, we were fast. But we had an issue in the pits, which put us out of the race, which sucks because we could have potentially had a chance to score some points today. After that I just tried to treat it like a regular race, so I could show what I could do. To everybody supporting the team and myself, a massive thank you. I’ve loved my six races so far in the car. Obviously, I’m hoping to have a future in Formula One. I gave it everything, and I’m looking forward to hopefully being back next year.
Yuki Tsunoda
Unfortunately, today my race was almost finished after the start. I don’t know exactly what happened, but honestly, I felt as if the clutch was stuck, as well as later when I came in for the pit stop as I struggled to stop properly. We’ll review it later with the engineers to understand more about what occurred during the start. I tried my best after that and was able to recover some positions, but sadly, it wasn’t enough to get into the points. Looking back at this year, we really gave everything as a team, and I’m happy with what I’ve done throughout the season, even if it’s a shame to finish the last race of the season without a nice result, which would have been a nice thank you for everyone within the team.
Laurent Mekies – Team Principal
We did not have a satisfactory season finale, with Yuki suffering a problem off the start line and Liam getting a 10-second stop-and-go for an issue we had during his pitstop. It is a difficult way to finish the season, especially after all the good work done by the Team on the reliability and pit stop front this season. Looking at the season, it’s been a mega-intense year from day one, when we started this season with a new mission and name. We had our highs and lows along the way, but we have started to build stronger foundations together for the future of the Team, and it is now the time to thank everyone in Faenza, Bicester, Milton Keynes, Honda and at RBPT for their fantastic work this season, which enabled us to progress in our journey. A very special thank you also need to go to our drivers, Yuki and Liam, who both developed immensely this year, without forgetting the invaluable imprint Daniel left on all of us earlier in the year. Whilst we are not happy with where we finished in the championship, our drivers have accumulated nearly double the points compared to last season, and we had our share of good fights on the track. There are a lot of exciting challenges to come over the winter and we will be pushing very hard to keep our progression going into 2025.
Haas F1 Team
MoneyGram Haas F1 Team finished with Nico Hulkenberg eighth and Kevin Magnussen 16th at the 2024 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Round 24 of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, held Sunday at the Yas Marina Circuit.
MoneyGram Haas F1 Team finished the 2024 season in seventh position in the Constructors’ Championship, on 58 points – its second-highest finish in history and second-highest ever points total.
Kevin Magnussen
Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal
We knew we all had to go for it, and at the end of lap 1, it was looking great because Nico was in P5, and Kevin had another amazing first lap from P14 to P7. Then, unfortunately, Kevin’s first stop was slow, and that’s unfortunate as our pit crew has been amazing this year. However, at this critical moment, Kevin came out in traffic, which really compromised his race. As Kevin was stuck in traffic, we pitted him again and on his out lap, Bottas locked up and damaged Kevin’s car. He was very unlucky. I wanted Kevin to sign off well, as he’s done so much and he’s a part of the family, but we couldn’t finish with a points-scoring position with him.
On Nico’s side he drove really well, but being in traffic all the time is really difficult. The execution of his one-stop race was very good, and in normal circumstances, coming home in P8 and scoring another four points would be a thing to celebrate, so I think we did the best job we could with Nico.
In terms of championship position, it’s, of course, bittersweet because we’re P7 – but we’re going for P6, but we couldn’t achieve it. I think everyone after the race understands that at the start of the season if somebody said we’re going to finish P7, we’d be very happy. This year has been an amazing year, everybody working together, every department. We have things to improve; that’s part of the process, but we’re going to come back stronger next year. For now, I want us to recognize what an amazing season we’ve had, and I hope everyone is proud of what they’ve achieved and enjoy the moment. I’m very proud of everyone on this team.
Williams Racing
A one-stop strategy almost brought a point back to Grove for Williams Racing as Alex Albon crossed the line in P11 and Franco retired in an incident-filled 2024 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=41]Alex Albon
With ten laps to go, I thought it would be hard to hold on. The tyre’s grip remained strong, but the temperatures dropped. Once the track started to cool down, I couldn’t drive quickly enough to keep the temperature in the tyres, so it felt like qualifying laps from about 25 laps in until the end, making it a very physical race. It’s a shame not to reward the team with a points finish. My consensus of the season is that it’s been one of missed opportunities. It’s easy to focus on this latter end of the season and the incidents, but realistically, we started with the car overweight when we should’ve been fighting for points. We bought one major upgrade, as our plan was always to focus on the future, and at that point, a lot of teams naturally overtook us. In the end, I’m not too upset because I’m here for the long term,m and I know as a team, we’re not interested in being the best of the midfield; we’re putting in the work now for the future to be back fighting for wins and championships and I believe in this journey we’re on. Thank you to Franco for being a great teammate. He earned his place in F1 during these remaining races, and I’m sure I’ll see him somewhere on the grid soon.
Franco Colapinto
Sven Smeets, Sporting Director:
Alpine Racing
Pierre started from P5 on New Mediums and finished P7: Pit-Stop on Lap 14 for New Hards. Fastest Lap: 1min 29.251secs. Jack started from P17 on New Mediums and finished P15: Pit-Stop on Lap 22 for New Hards. Fastest Lap: 1min 29.121secs.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=41]Jack Doohan
Firstly, thank you to Luca de Meo, Flavio Briatore and Oliver Oakes for the opportunity. It has been an incredible experience to make my Formula 1 debut, and I am very grateful that they entrusted me to step into the car this weekend. Thank you to the whole team for making the transition as smooth as possible. It was fantastic to get back to racing; I have learned a lot and gained a lot of experience. We finished sixth in the Constructors’ Championship, which is excellent. I am happy to have assisted where possible, both this weekend and throughout the whole season behind the scenes. Congratulations to Pierre on his race results and for getting tenth in the Drivers’ Championship. I look forward to next season, kicking it off with my home race in Australia and continuing to work and progress with the team.
Pierre Gasly
I am so happy for the entire team as we have achieved sixth in the Constructors’ Championship. This season, we have had lows, which were extremely low, and highs, which were extremely high. We have been through some tough moments this year, and I am so proud of the team’s reaction to turn around our season. We finished it with a competitive car, which has allowed us to regularly compete for Q3 and fight for points in the races. Credit to Haas, as it’s been a great battle with them in recent races. There was also a little personal battle between Nico [Hülkenberg] and me in the Drivers’ Championship for tenth place. It was a close one today with him, as it always is. He was right behind me, and I knew we just had to react to what he did, and we would achieve our targets. Running in third place for some of the race felt good, but we knew that was not our fight today. In the end, an important result, sixth place secured in the Championship, so congratulations to everyone in the team for this achievement.
Oliver Oakes – Team Principal
It’s a great achievement to end the season in sixth place in the standings. The team’s turnaround in the second half of the season has been amazing, and it shows that everyone’s hard work and determination at Enstone and Viry have paid off. The team never gave up ever lost sight of the end goal; we can take that confidence and momentum into 2025. Pierre drove a great race and did everything asked of him. He’s been at the top of his game recently and put another top performance today to keep Nico [Hülkenberg] at bay. Jack did well today and showed a promising pace, matching the cars around him with similar strategies. It’s a great learning for him to take into next year. Credit goes to Haas and RB, who were strong this year and kept the fight exciting to the very end. Also, congratulations to McLaren on winning the Constructors’ Championship. They’ve been the benchmark this year and thoroughly deserve it.
Kick Sauber F1 Team
Kick Sauber F1 Team capped off the 2024 season with an emotional grand finale in the iconic setting of the 2024 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a race which marked the end of three eventful years with our driver pairing of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu. After the promising past race of the Doha GP and the season-best qualifying, the circumstances during this eventful race did not allow the drivers and the team to finish the season with additional points. In the first round, contact between Valtteri and Sergio Perez resulted in a 10-second penalty for the Finn. A collision with Kevin Magnussen forced him to retire on lap 30. Zhou gained ground, but a 5-second penalty for a false start held him back from gaining additional positions.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=41]Valtteri Bottas
Unfortunately, today felt like a downward spiral after the incident on lap one, for which I also received a penalty. From then on, I was at the back, but we kept trying and pushing. Later in the race, I had contact with Kevin [Magnussen] while defending: I locked up on old tyres and basically bumped into him. That was my mistake, and it’s a shame my last race with the team ended this way. We know we gave it everything; that is all we could do tonight. As another season goes into the books and I plan for what’s next, I want to take a moment to thank everyone in the team, everyone at Ferrari, and all the supporters for their incredible support this year.
Zhou Guanyu
It’s been an emotional weekend, and while I wish we could finish with a better result, we cannot let today detract from the three years I spent with the team. I don’t think the pace was at its best today, but we were out there fighting and gave it everything. Starting 15th, it would always be difficult, and a slow stop and the penalty put us out of contention for the points. Still, it was the last race, and I think we executed our day as well as we could. I just want to thank everyone in the team and among the fans for their support over the last three years—it’s truly been a pleasure. Now, it’s on to the next chapter for me, but I also wish the team all the very best for the future.
Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Team Representative
Today’s race was eventful and brought a tough season to a close, with only four points scored across 24 races. The most meaningful moment came before the race as we bid farewell to Zhou and Valtteri after three years together in which they contributed greatly to our cause and supported us through challenging times. Valtteri gave his all tonight but was unlucky with two incidents—one with Perez on lap one, resulting in a front wing change and penalty, and another with Magnussen on lap 30, which caused suspension damage and forced his retirement. It’s not the ending we hoped for, but we’ll celebrate his incredible efforts and wish him the best for the future. Thanks to his pace and well-executed strategy, Zhou ran a strong race, recovering from a false start and penalty to finish P13. We also wish him every success in his next chapter. We want to thank everyone at Hinwil, trackside, and at Ferrari for their hard work this season. Congratulations to McLaren on their well-earned Constructors’ Championship, which is a testament to perseverance and teamwork. Inspired, we now focus on the post-season period to build a strong foundation for 2025 and beyond.