Round 24 of the 2024 Formula 1 season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, marked the finale of the season, a weekend when the Constructors’ Championship was still up for grabs. McLaren and Ferrari were locked in a fierce battle, separated by just 21 points, as the season reached its climax. Adding to the emotion, Lewis Hamilton bid farewell to Mercedes after an illustrious and record-breaking career with the team.
Race Guide
Race weekend: 6 December 2024 – 8 December 2024
Race date: Sunday, 8 December, 2024
Race start time: 17:00
Circuit: Yas Marina Circuit
Laps: 58
Circuit length: 5.281km
2023 winner: Max Verstappen
| Pole position | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | Lando Norris | McLaren | |
| Time | 1:32.312 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | |
| Time | 1:25.637 on lap 57 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Lando Norris | McLaren | |
| Second | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | |
| Third | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | |
This year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ends the longest Formula 1 season in history, with 24 rounds spanning the globe. The iconic Yas Marina Circuit, hosting Formula 1 for the 15th time, has served as the season finale on 12 occasions. Notably, it has been the stage for championship-deciding moments, including the dramatic double title battle in 2021 and the Drivers’ Championship showdowns in 2010, 2014, and 2016.
As of the 2024 race, Lewis Hamilton was the most successful driver at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, boasting five victories. However, Max Verstappen had the opportunity to equal that record on Sunday, having already claimed four consecutive wins at Yas Marina from 2020 to 2023. Before the race, Verstappen was also honoured with the Pirelli Pole Position Award of the Year for achieving the most pole positions this season.
Among the teams, Red Bull led the tally with seven victories in Abu Dhabi, followed by Mercedes with six. Only two other teams have tasted victory at Yas Marina: Lotus F1, with Kimi Räikkönen in 2013, and McLaren, courtesy of Lewis Hamilton in the inaugural event back in 2009.
Weekend schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 6 December 2024 | Free Practice 1 (FP1) | 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm local time |
| 6 December 2024 | Free Practice 2 (FP2) | 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm local time |
| 7 December 2024 | Free Practice 3 (FP3) | 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm local time |
| 7 December 2024 | Qualifying | 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm local time |
| 8 December 2024 | Race | 5:00 pm local time |
In Saturday qualifying, Lando Norris claimed pole position at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with his teammate Oscar Piastri just behind. Norris finished 0.209 seconds ahead of Piastri in a thrilling and unpredictable qualifying session at the season’s final race. Carlos Sainz secured third place for Ferrari, who were trailing McLaren by 21 points entering Sunday’s race, with a maximum of 44 points still up for grabs.
On Sunday, Lando Norris secured McLaren’s first Formula 1 constructors’ championship in 26 years with a victory at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Norris had led from start to finish, and his fourth win of the season was enough to seal the championship by 14 points, even though Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished second and third. Leclerc’s brilliant drive, having started 19th on the grid, kept the tension high. Had anything happened to Norris’ car, Ferrari would have clinched the title. Lewis Hamilton took fourth place in his final race for Mercedes, overtaking teammate George Russell around the outside of Turn Nine with just six corners left in the race. McLaren last won the Drivers’ championship in 2008 with Hamilton, but their team’s title drought went all the way back to 1998.
Championship background
McLaren led Ferrari by 21 points heading into Sunday’s race at the Yas Marina Circuit, with a maximum of 44 points still up for grabs. It had been 26 years since McLaren last claimed the Constructors’ Championship, while Ferrari had not won the title since 2008, making this a crucial showdown for both teams eager to end their prolonged droughts.
Lower down the standings, Alpine held a slim five-point advantage over Haas in the fight for sixth place—a battle with millions of pounds in prize money at stake.
In the Drivers’ Championship, the contest for the runner-up spot remained undecided. Lando Norris was ahead of Charles Leclerc by just eight points as they vied to finish second behind the dominant Max Verstappen.
Meanwhile, Mercedes would bid an emotional farewell to Lewis Hamilton, who departed the team after 12 seasons and seven world championships, one as an engine supplier to McLaren and the rest with the works team. Hamilton was set to join Ferrari for the next chapter of his illustrious career.
The F2 Championship also concluded this weekend, with 2025 Sauber F1 driver Gabriel Bortoleto holding a narrow half-point lead over Isack Hadjar in a tense title battle.
In addition, the F1 Academy wrapped up its season with Britain’s Abbi Pulling aiming to finish on a high. An extra race was added to the schedule in Abu Dhabi to make up for the cancellation of the previous weekend’s second round in Qatar.
Race entries
In a shock move, after the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, the Alpine team announced that Esteban Ocon would leave, with immediate effect, before the end of his final season with the team; his 2025 replacement Jack Doohan would make an early start to his F1 career at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix racing in all sessions and the race.
In FP1, six rookies took over: Luke Browning for Williams, Arthur Leclerc for Ferrari, Ayumu Iwasa for RB, Isack Hadjar for Red Bull, Ryo Hirakawa for McLaren, and Felipe Drugovich for Aston Martin.
Aside from Alpine’s change and rookie drivers, Franco Colapinto, who was now driving for Williams after replacing Logan Sargeant in Round 16, and Liam Lawson in for Daniel Ricciardo after Round 18, all the drivers from the start of the season took to the track during FP1, FP2, FP3, Qualifying, and the Grand Prix.
The Grand Prix marked Lewis Hamilton’s final race as a Mercedes driver before moving to Ferrari in 2025, Carlos Sainz’s final race as a Ferrari driver before moving to Williams, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu’s final races as Sauber teammates, before being replaced by Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, and Kevin Magnussen’s final race with Haas.
Tyre choices
Pirelli once again opted for its three softest tyre compounds for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with the C3 designated as Hard (marked White), C4 as Medium (marked Yellow), and C5 as Soft (marked Red). While the red-banded Soft tyres were expected to feature predominantly in qualifying, the Medium and Hard compounds would take centre stage during the race, particularly under the floodlights in this third consecutive night event.
The Yas Marina Circuit, redesigned in 2021, was now a faster, more flowing 5.281-kilometer layout, offering multiple overtaking opportunities. The track exerts medium to low forces on the tyres due to a lack of high-speed corners.
Graining would likely be a significant factor, particularly given the overtaking potential on the circuit. As seen in 2023, a two-stop strategy appeared the most viable approach. The undercut is particularly potent, but for teams aiming to execute a one-stop strategy, exceptional tyre management would be required to minimise performance drop-off.
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Free Practice
In FP1, Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets ahead of Lando Norris in the opening practice session of the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but Ferrari’s hopes of clinching the Constructors’ Championship suffered a significant setback after Leclerc was hit with a 10-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race. The first practice session saw several notable absences, with six regular drivers, including world champion Max Verstappen, sitting out to allow rookies their mandatory track time. Leclerc edged out McLaren’s Norris with a best lap of 1:24.321, securing a slight morale boost despite the looming grid penalty.
During FP2, Lando Norris spearheaded a McLaren one-two in the second practice session at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as Ferrari’s hopes for the Constructors’ Championship suffered a significant blow following Charles Leclerc’s grid penalty. Ferrari faced the daunting task of a significant recovery at the season finale. McLaren capitalised on Ferrari’s misfortune later in the evening during the key second practice session, held under conditions that closely mirror those of qualifying and the race. Norris posted the fastest lap with a time of 1:23.517, outpacing teammate Oscar Piastri by over two-tenths of a second. Both drivers also displayed impressive consistency in their race simulation runs, further underscoring McLaren’s strength.
In FP3, Oscar Piastri outperformed Lando Norris as McLaren showcased their superior form during the final practice session before Qualifying at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Piastri finished nearly two-tenths of a second ahead of Norris, while Lewis Hamilton secured third place, trailing by 0.390 seconds in his last race weekend for Mercedes, highlighting McLaren’s significant lead.
Full Free Practice Reports
Free Practice 1 Classification
FP1 was held on 6 December 2024, at 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm local time.
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:24.321 | 19 | |
| 2 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | 1:24.542 | +0.221s | 25 |
| 3 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:24.806 | +0.485s | 27 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:25.165 | +0.844s | 27 |
| 5 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | 1:25.333 | +1.012s | 24 |
| 6 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas Ferrari | 1:25.373 | +1.052s | 23 |
| 7 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Williams Mercedes | 1:25.382 | +1.061s | 24 |
| 8 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari | 1:25.444 | +1.123s | 25 |
| 9 | 34 | Felipe Drugovich | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:25.471 | +1.150s | 22 |
| 10 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:25.483 | +1.162s | 26 |
| 11 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:25.504 | +1.183s | 23 |
| 12 | 30 | Liam Lawson | RB Honda RBPT | 1:25.563 | +1.242s | 27 |
| 13 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:25.611 | +1.290s | 23 |
| 14 | 28 | Ryo Hirakawa | McLaren Mercedes | 1:25.874 | +1.553s | 19 |
| 15 | 37 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:25.877 | +1.556s | 22 |
| 16 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:25.921 | +1.600s | 23 |
| 17 | 40 | Ayumu Iwasa | RB Honda RBPT | 1:26.121 | +1.800s | 24 |
| 18 | 39 | Arthur Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:26.179 | +1.858s | 22 |
| 19 | 61 | Jack Doohan | Alpine Renault | 1:26.304 | +1.983s | 24 |
| 20 | 46 | Luke Browning | Williams Mercedes | 1:26.519 | +2.198s | 22 |
Free Practice 2 Classification
FP2 was held on 6 December 2024, at 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm local time.
Free Practice 3 Classification
FP3 was held on 7 December 2024, at 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm local time.
Qualifying
Lando Norris led teammate Oscar Piastri as McLaren secured a front-row lockout at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, placing them on the cusp of Constructors’ Championship success.
McLaren had already been the clear favourites to clinch their first constructors’ title since 1998, entering the season finale with a 21-point advantage over Ferrari. Their position was significantly bolstered as Norris delivered his best performance at the last moment to narrowly outpace Piastri.
Norris’s poile time of 1:22.595s put him two-tenths ahead of Piastri, and it drew him level with Verstappen with a season-leading total of eight pole positions.
Full Qualifying Report
Qualifying Classification
Qualifying was held on 7 December 2024, at 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm local time.
2Leclerc would be given a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding his battery allocation
3Albon and Colapinto would be given five-place grid penalties for exceeding their battery allocation
2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Starting Grid
The Grand Prix starting grid, with or without penalties, after the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Qualifying session.
2Leclerc was given a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding his battery allocation
3Albon and Colapinto were given five-place grid penalties for exceeding their battery allocation
What happened in the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
McLaren became Formula 1 Constructors’ Champions for the first time in 26 years after Lando Norris defeated Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz to win the season-ending 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Having positioned themselves firmly in control of the lucrative teams’ title race by securing the grid’s front row, McLaren faced a more tense race under the Yas Marina floodlights than might have been expected after Max Verstappen spun around Oscar Piastri in the first corner.
However, Norris did not make a single mistake from pole position and managed to keep Sainz at bay throughout the 58 laps to secure his fourth victory of the year and clinch McLaren’s ninth Constructors’ Championship—their first since 1998.
Ferrari, whose chances of a final-day comeback from 21 points behind almost entirely depended on winning the race, at least concluded their season with a double podium. Sainz drove impressively in his final appearance for the team to finish second, and Charles Leclerc brilliantly fought his way from the back of the grid to third.
Ahead of his high-profile winter move to replace Sainz, Lewis Hamilton executed his own dramatic race-day comeback in his final race for Mercedes, advancing from 16th on the grid to finish fourth.
Hamilton’s final lap as a Mercedes driver, marking the end of 12 years of unparalleled success, saw him overtake his teammate George Russell on the outside into Turn Nine.
Verstappen, who had clinched this year’s Drivers’ Championship for the fourth consecutive season a fortnight earlier in Las Vegas, finished his campaign in a distant sixth for the dethroned teams’ champions, Red Bull. He lost ground following a collision with Piastri at the start and then received a 10-second time penalty for it from the stewards.
Pierre Gasly rounded off a strong end to his season by finishing seventh, securing Alpine sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship ahead of Haas, who finished eighth with Nico Hulkenberg.
Fernando Alonso took ninth for Aston Martin, while Piastri, who received his own 10-second penalty for colliding with the back of Williams’ Franco Colapinto after returning to the track post-repairs at the end of lap one, managed to recover to tenth.
McLaren back on top for the first time in 26 years
Just seven years after McLaren, one of F1’s oldest and most storied teams, appeared at their lowest ebb having finished second to last in the teams’ standings, Sunday’s title-winning result unequivocally confirmed their resurgence to the very top of the sport.
The Woking team’s pre-race lead of 21 points had always positioned them as the favourites to clinch the title on Sunday, a status emphasised when Norris and Piastri qualified first and second, with Ferrari trailing at third and, due to a grid penalty and a challenging Saturday, 19th with Leclerc.
However, the race’s initial moments unexpectedly resulted in what team chief Zak Brown described as the “worst two hours of my life”.
While Norris made a strong start from pole on the outside, Piastri’s mirrors on the inside began to fill with Red Bull blue as they approached the braking zone for Turn One. Verstappen, who had qualified fourth, launched a bold attempt to take second place on the Australian’s inside.
However, as Piastri moved across to take the left-hander, Verstappen collided with the McLaren on the inside, causing costly contact that spun both cars around. Piastri was the worst affected, with his McLaren ending up facing backwards in the run-off area as the rest of the pack streamed past on his inside.
Although he could get going again, Piastri had to pit for fresh tyres at the end of the opening lap. His race was further complicated soon after his return to the track when he collided with Colapinto on the back straight, earning a 10-second penalty, which he would serve at his next pit stop.
With his teammate almost immediately out of contention at the front, Norris suddenly found himself carrying McLaren’s hopes alone, while Ferrari’s prospects were boosted as Sainz moved up into second and Leclerc began to make progress through the field from the back.
Despite potential mistakes from team and driver that might have scuppered their bid for the drivers’ crown against McLaren, Norris was dominant here. The Briton steadily extended his lead over Sainz, both before and after the sole round of pit stops.
“It feels incredible. Not for myself but for the whole team,” said Norris, who was promoted to a race seat at the Woking outfit in 2019. “They have done an amazing job from where we started.”
Hamilton closes a legendary partnership
Hamilton’s record-breaking career at Mercedes may not have been typified by the fourth-place finish he secured on Sunday, but his final result for the Silver Arrows followed one of his best comeback drives during his twelve years with the team.
After Wolff was left furious by the team strategy errors that resulted in a luckless Hamilton being eliminated in Q1 on Saturday and starting 16th, the Briton began the race as the only driver equipped with Pirelli’s most durable tyre compound, the hard.
Despite this being the slowest compound in F1’s range, Hamilton made consistent and steady progress early on to edge into the points-scoring positions.
By lap 12, he had broken into the points and continued to push, extending his first stint until lap 34, at which point he was fourth. He then pitted and rejoined the race in seventh place on fresher tyres than those ahead.
Encouraged over the team radio by his long-time race engineer Peter Bonnington that a podium finish might still be possible—and further motivated by one final call of “HammerTime”—Hamilton overtook Hulkenberg and then Gasly, before chasing down Russell in the sister car.
Closing the gap to his teammate by one second per lap, Hamilton rapidly reduced a 12-second deficit. He caught up with the leading Mercedes in the final laps and, on his last lap with the team, passed Russell on the outside at Turn Nine to claim fourth place.
2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race results
The 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Race was held on 8 December 2024, at 5:00 pm local time.
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | 58 | 1:26:33.291 | 25 |
| 2 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 58 | +5.832s | 18 |
| 3 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 58 | +31.928s | 15 |
| 4 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 58 | +36.483s | 12 |
| 5 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 58 | +37.538s | 10 |
| 6 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 58 | +49.847s | 8 |
| 7 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | 58 | +72.560s | 6 |
| 8 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas Ferrari | 58 | +75.554s | 4 |
| 9 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 58 | +82.373s | 2 |
| 10 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes | 58 | +83.821s | 1 |
| 11 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams Mercedes | 57 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 12 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB Honda RBPT | 57 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 13 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 57 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 14 | 18 | Lance Stroll2 | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 57 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 15 | 61 | Jack Doohan | Alpine Renault | 57 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 16 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen1 | Haas Ferrari | 57 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 17 | 30 | Liam Lawson | RB Honda RBPT | 55 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 30 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Williams Mercedes | 26 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 0 | DNF | 0 |
2Lance Stroll received a five-second time penalty for track limits infringements.
2024 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings
Championship standings for Drivers’ and Teams after the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
2024 Post-Race F1 Drivers’ Championship Standings
| Pos | Driver | Nationality | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | NED | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 437 |
| 2 | Lando Norris | GBR | McLaren Mercedes | 374 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | MON | Ferrari | 356 |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | AUS | McLaren Mercedes | 292 |
| 5 | Carlos Sainz | ESP | Ferrari | 290 |
| 6 | George Russell | GBR | Mercedes | 245 |
| 7 | Lewis Hamilton | GBR | Mercedes | 223 |
| 8 | Sergio Pérez | MEX | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 152 |
| 9 | Fernando Alonso | ESP | Aston Martin Mercedes | 70 |
| 10 | Pierre Gasly | FRA | Alpine Renault | 42 |
| 11 | Nico Hulkenberg | GER | Haas Ferrari | 41 |
| 12 | Yuki Tsunoda | JPN | RB-Honda RBPT | 30 |
| 13 | Lance Stroll | CAN | Aston Martin Mercedes | 24 |
| 14 | Esteban Ocon | FRA | Alpine Renault | 23 |
| 15 | Kevin Magnussen | DEN | Haas Ferrari | 16 |
| 16 | Alexander Albon | THA | Williams Mercedes | 12 |
| 17 | Daniel Ricciardo | AUS | RB-Honda RBPT | 12 |
| 18 | Oliver Bearman | GBR | Ferrari / Haas Ferrari | 7 |
| 19 | Franco Colapinto | ARG | Williams Mercedes | 5 |
| 20 | Zhou Guanyu | CHN | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 4 |
| 21 | Liam Lawson | NZL | RB-Honda RBPT | 4 |
| 22 | Valtteri Bottas | FIN | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 0 |
| 23 | Logan Sargeant | USA | Williams Mercedes | 0 |
| 24 | Jack Doohan | AUS | Alpine Renault | 0 |
2024 Post-Race F1 Constructors’ Championship Standings
| Pos | Team | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLaren Mercedes | 666 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 652 |
| 3 | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 589 |
| 4 | Mercedes | 468 |
| 5 | Aston Martin Mercedes | 94 |
| 6 | Alpine Renault | 65 |
| 7 | Haas Ferrari | 58 |
| 8 | RB-Honda RBPT | 46 |
| 9 | Williams Mercedes | 17 |
| 10 | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 4 |
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