Formula 1 Season 2024

[genius83]

New F1 race director Marques will also run F2 races in Qatar
Recently-appointed Formula 1 race director Rui Marques will run four races in Qatar this weekend.

Norris and Leclerc reject Verstappen’s claim he’d have won title in their cars
Max Verstappen’s claim he would have won this year’s world championship in a McLaren or a Ferrari has been dismissed by his closest rivals in the points standings.

Verstappen’s “divebomb” will be addressed in 2025 F1 racing rules – Russell
George Russell says the FIA will adjust its Formula 1 driving standards guidelines for 2025 after meeting with drivers.

Formula 1 drivers welcome “exciting” addition of 11th team in 2026
Formula 1 drivers welcomed the news an 11th team is set to join the grid in 2026.

Verstappen is fast enough to win in third-quickest car, says McLaren’s Brown
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown says Max Verstappen has shown he doesn’t need the fastest car to win the world championship.

[genius83]

Leclerc beats McLaren pair to quickest time in only practice session at Losail
Charles Leclerc set the quickest time in the only practice session for the Qatar Grand Prix ahead of the two McLarens.

Qatar GP
Practice Session 1
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model   Time      Gap
 1  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-24   1:21.953s  -
 2   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38   1:22.378s 0.425s
 3  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38   1:22.425s 0.472s
 4  55  Carlos Sainz Jnr  Ferrari               SF-24   1:22.535s 0.582s
 5  22  Yuki Tsunoda      RB-Honda              VCARB01 1:23.045s 1.092s
 6  77  Valtteri Bottas   Sauber-Ferrari        C44     1:23.064s 1.111s
 7  18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24   1:23.099s 1.146s
 8  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W15     1:23.160s 1.207s
 9  23  Alexander Albon   Williams-Mercedes     FW46    1:23.161s 1.208s
10  44  Lewis Hamilton    Mercedes              W15     1:23.188s 1.235s
11   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB20    1:23.213s 1.260s
12  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24   1:23.227s 1.274s
13  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24   1:23.245s 1.292s
14  30  Liam Lawson       RB-Honda              VCARB01 1:23.562s 1.609s
15  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A524    1:23.620s 1.667s
16  20  Kevin Magnussen   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24   1:23.715s 1.762s
17  24  Zhou Guanyu       Sauber-Ferrari        C44     1:23.880s 1.927s
18  11  Sergio Perez      Red Bull-Honda        RB20    1:24.039s 2.086s
19  43  Franco Colapinto  Williams-Mercedes     FW46    1:24.200s 2.247s
20  31  Esteban Ocon      Alpine-Renault        A524    1:24.280s 2.327s

Perez denies Red Bull will demote him to RB next year
Sergio Perez has insisted he will not be relegated to Red Bull’s second Formula 1 team next year.

Forecast shows drivers should be spared a repeat of last year’s torrid Qatar GP
Drivers will be spared from racing in the sweltering heat they dealt with at last year’s Qatar Grand Prix on their return this weekend.

[genius83]

Norris claims pole position for sprint race as Russell splits the McLarens
Lando Norris took pole position for Saturday’s sprint race in Losail ahead of George Russell and Oscar Piastri.

Qatar GP
Sprint Qualifying
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model   Time      Gap
 1   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38   1:21.012s  -
 2  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W15     1:21.075s 0.063s
 3  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38   1:21.171s 0.159s
 4  55  Carlos Sainz Jnr  Ferrari               SF-24   1:21.281s 0.269s
 5  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-24   1:21.308s 0.296s
 6   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB20    1:21.315s 0.303s
 7  44  Lewis Hamilton    Mercedes              W15     1:21.474s 0.462s
 8  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A524    1:21.978s 0.966s
 9  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24   1:22.088s 1.076s
10  30  Liam Lawson       RB-Honda              VCARB01 1:22.577s 1.565s
11  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24   1:22.433s 1.202s
12  23  Alexander Albon   Williams-Mercedes     FW46    1:22.526s 1.295s
13  77  Valtteri Bottas   Sauber-Ferrari        C44     1:22.538s 1.307s
14  18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24   1:22.599s 1.368s
15  20  Kevin Magnussen   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24   1:22.738s 1.507s
16  11  Sergio Perez      Red Bull-Honda        RB20    1:22.718s 1.362s
17  22  Yuki Tsunoda      RB-Honda              VCARB01 1:22.722s 1.366s
18  31  Esteban Ocon      Alpine-Renault        A524    1:22.906s 1.550s
19  24  Zhou Guanyu       Sauber-Ferrari        C44     1:22.948s 1.592s
20  43  Franco Colapinto  Williams-Mercedes     FW46    1:23.423s 2.067s

FOM’s U-turn on 11th team caught bosses “a little bit by surprise”
Formula 1 team bosses say they were surprised by the series’ decision to allow Cadillac to enter the championship in 2026.

Perez and Tsunoda summoned by stewards for allegedly driving too slowly on track
Sergio Perez and Yuki Tsunoda are under investigation for allegedly driving too slowly during sprint race qualifying, after the stewards noted 40 potential incidents involving 17 drivers.

Russell “confused the engine” by taking corners flat out on fastest lap
George Russell said he could have set an even quicker time in sprint race qualifying despite securing a front row start in Losail.

“I’m just slow, same every weekend” laments Hamilton after qualifying seventh
A dejected Lewis Hamilton said he was “definitely not fast” after taking seventh on the grid for Saturday’s sprint race in Losail.

Perez blames incident with Leclerc after latest round one exit in qualifying
Sergio Perez said an incident with Charles Leclerc led to his elimination in the first round of qualifying for the sprint race in Losail.

Audi sells “significant” stake in Formula 1 team to Qatar wealth fund
Audi, which will enter Formula 1 in 2026, has sold a “significant” stake in its team to the sovereign wealth fund of Qatar.

[genius83]

Norris overrules McLaren and hands sprint race victory to Piastri
Lando Norris handed victory in the sprint race at Losail to his team mate Piastri.

Qatar GP
Sprint Session
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model  Laps Time       Gap     Pts
 1  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38   19  27:03.010s  -       8
 2   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38   19  27:03.146s  0.136s  7
 3  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W15     19  27:03.420s  0.410s  6
 4  55  Carlos Sainz      Ferrari               SF-24   19  27:04.336s  1.326s  5
 5  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-24   19  27:08.083s  5.073s  4
 6  44  Lewis Hamilton    Mercedes              W15     19  27:08.660s  5.650s  3
 7  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24   19  27:11.518s  8.508s  2
 8   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB20    19  27:13.378s 10.368s  1
 9  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A524    19  27:17.523s 14.513s
10  20  Kevin Magnussen   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24   19  27:18.495s 15.485s
11  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24   19  27:22.214s 19.204s
12  77  Valtteri Bottas   Sauber-Ferrari        C44     19  27:26.361s 23.351s
13  18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24   19  27:27.431s 24.421s
14  31  Esteban Ocon      Alpine-Renault        A524    19  27:33.389s 30.379s
15  23  Alex Albon        Williams-Mercedes     FW46    19  27:36.072s 33.062s
16  30  Liam Lawson       RB-Honda              VCARB01 19  27:37.366s 34.356s
17  22  Yuki Tsunoda      RB-Honda              VCARB01 19  27:38.112s 35.102s
18  43  Franco Colapinto  Williams-Mercedes     FW46    19  27:38.649s 35.639s
19  24  Zhou Guanyu       Sauber-Ferrari        C44     19  28:14.446s 71.436s
20  11  Sergio Perez      Red Bull-Honda        RB20    19  28:17.381s 74.371s

Here is the World Standings after Qatar Sprint:

World Championships Standings
Driver Standings
Pos Driver               Pts
 1  Max Verstappen       404
 2  Lando Norris         347
 3  Charles Leclerc      323
 4  Oscar Piastri        276
 5  Carlos Sainz Jnr     264
 6  George Russell       223
 7  Lewis Hamilton       211
 8  Sergio Perez         152
 9  Fernando Alonso       62
10  Nico Hulkenberg       37
11  Yuki Tsunoda          30
12  Pierre Gasly          26
13  Lance Stroll          24
14  Esteban Ocon          23
15  Kevin Magnussen       14
16  Alexander Albon       12
17  Daniel Ricciardo      12
18  Oliver Bearman         7
19  Franco Colapinto       5
20  Liam Lawson            4
21  Zhou Guanyu            0
22  Logan Sargeant         0
23  Valtteri Bottas        0
Constructor Standings
Pos Team             Pts
 1  McLaren          623
 2  Ferrari          593
 3  Red Bull         556
 4  Mercedes         434
 5  Aston Martin      86
 6  Haas              52
 7  Alpine            49
 8  RB                46
 9  Williams          17
10  Sauber             0

Why Verstappen doubts rivals will stop “screaming” over F1’s racing rules
The FIA has been through a turbulent time lately, losing F1 race director Niels Wittich ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, followed by F2’s intended race director Janette Tan and long-serving steward Tim Mayer.

Norris planned to pay Piastri back after Brazil: “I’m not here to win sprint races”
Lando Norris says he intended to return a sprint race win to Oscar Piastri ever since his team mate handed victory to him in Brazil.

Perez “caught napping” when Colapinto passed him at start – Horner
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner admitted he was surprised Sergio Perez failed to react immediately to the lights changing at the start of today’s sprint race, leading to him being passed by a rival.

[genius83]

Verstappen pips Russell to end pole drought but faces stewards’ investigation
Max Verstappen took his first grand prix pole position for six months by beating George Russell by five hundredths of a second in Qatar.

Qatar GP
Qualifying Session
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model   Time      Gap
 1   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB20    1:20.520s  -
 2  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W15     1:20.575s 0.055s
 3   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38   1:20.772s 0.252s
 4  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38   1:20.829s 0.309s
 5  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-24   1:20.852s 0.332s
 6  44  Lewis Hamilton    Mercedes              W15     1:21.011s 0.491s
 7  55  Carlos Sainz Jnr  Ferrari               SF-24   1:21.041s 0.521s
 8  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24   1:21.251s 0.731s
 9  11  Sergio Perez      Red Bull-Honda        RB20    1:21.425s 0.905s
10  20  Kevin Magnussen   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24   1:21.500s 0.980s
11  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A524    1:21.437s 0.750s
12  24  Zhou Guanyu       Sauber-Ferrari        C44     1:21.501s 0.814s
13  77  Valtteri Bottas   Sauber-Ferrari        C44     1:21.731s 1.044s
14  22  Yuki Tsunoda      RB-Honda              VCARB01 1:21.771s 1.084s
15  18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24   1:21.911s 1.224s
16  23  Alexander Albon   Williams-Mercedes     FW46    1:22.390s 1.149s
17  30  Liam Lawson       RB-Honda              VCARB01 1:22.411s 1.170s
18  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24   1:22.442s 1.201s
19  43  Franco Colapinto  Williams-Mercedes     FW46    1:22.594s 1.353s
20  31  Esteban Ocon      Alpine-Renault        A524    1:22.714s 1.473s

Verstappen loses pole to Russell after one-place grid drop penalty
Max Verstappen has lost pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix after being penalised for driving unnecessarily slowly in the final phase of qualifying.

Russell suspects Verstappen incident before final lap cost him pole position
George Russell said an incident between him and Max Verstappen before his final flying lap cost him a chance to start the race from pole position.

McLaren’s car became “more difficult to drive” in qualifying – Stella
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella explained why their drivers were unable to replicate their strong performance from the sprint race qualifying session.

“Big changes” Verstappen used to take pole tested by Perez in sprint race – Horner
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says the set-up changes the team made to Sergio Perez’s car for the sprint race helped his team mate take pole position in Qatar.

Letting Piastri pass ‘was Lando’s decision – and good on him’, says Brown
McLaren’s senior management confirmed that they did not ask Lando Norris to hand his team mate Oscar Piastri the sprint race win.

McLaren’s DRS train tactics ‘not what I want from F1 as a fan’ – Russell
George Russell said he was frustrated by the McLaren drivers’ tactics in the sprint race at Losail, which ended his hopes of challenging to win.

[hassan918]

[genius83]

Verstappen victorious as stop-go penalty takes Norris out of fight for win
Max Verstappen won a controversial and incident-filled Qatar Grand Prix as Lando Norris lost second place after a stop/go penalty.

Qatar GP
Race Results
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model   Laps Time          Gap     Pts
 1   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB20     57  1:31:05.323s   -       25
 2  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-24    57  1:31:11.354s   6.031s  18
 3  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38    57  1:31:12.142s   6.819s  15
 4  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W15      57  1:31:19.427s  14.104s  12
 5  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A524     57  1:31:22.105s  16.782s  10
 6  55  Carlos Sainz      Ferrari               SF-24    57  1:31:22.799s  17.476s   8
 7  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24    57  1:31:25.190s  19.867s   6
 8  24  Zhou Guanyu       Sauber-Ferrari        C44      57  1:31:30.683s  25.360s   4
 9  20  Kevin Magnussen   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24    57  1:31:37.500s  32.177s   2
10   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38    57  1:31:41.085s  35.762s   2
11  77  Valtteri Bottas   Sauber-Ferrari        C44      57  1:31:55.566s  50.243s
12  44  Lewis Hamilton    Mercedes              W15      57  1:32:01.445s  56.122s
13  22  Yuki Tsunoda      RB-Honda              VCARB01  57  1:32:06.423s  61.100s
14  30  Liam Lawson       RB-Honda              VCARB01  57  1:32:07.979s  62.656s
15  23  Alex Albon        Williams-Mercedes     FW46     56   1 Lap
dnf 27  Nico Hulkenberg   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24    39  18 Laps
dnf 11  Sergio Perez      Red Bull-Honda        RB20     38  19 Laps
dnf 18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24     8  49 Laps
dnf 43  Franco Colapinto  Williams-Mercedes     FW46      0
dnf 31  Esteban Ocon      Alpine-Renault        A524      0
Fastest Lap: Lando Norris 1:22.384s

Here is the World Standings after the Qatar GP"

World Championships Standings
Driver Standings
Pos Driver                  Pts
 1  Max Verstappen          429
 2  Lando Norris            349
 3  Charles Leclerc         341
 4  Oscar Piastri           291
 5  Carlos Sainz Jnr        272
 6  George Russell          235
 7  Lewis Hamilton          211
 8  Sergio Perez            152
 9  Fernando Alonso          68
10  Nico Hulkenberg          37
11  Pierre Gasly             36
12  Yuki Tsunoda             30
13  Lance Stroll             24
14  Esteban Ocon             23
15  Kevin Magnussen          16
16  Alexander Albon          12
17  Daniel Ricciardo         12
18  Oliver Bearman            7
19  Franco Colapinto          5
20  Zhou Guanyu               4
21  Liam Lawson               4
22  Valtteri Bottas           0
23  Logan Sargeant            0
Constructor Standings
Pos Team               Pts
 1  McLaren            640
 2  Ferrari            619
 3  Red Bull           581
 4  Mercedes           446
 5  Aston Martin        92
 6  Alpine              59
 7  Haas                54
 8  RB                  46
 9  Williams            17
10  Sauber               4

McLaren fume but Norris’s 10-second stop-go penalty was in line with precedent
McLaren complained about the severity of Lando Norris’s for failing to slow for double waved yellow flags during the Qatar Grand Prix.

Hamilton accepts blame for pair of penalties as he fails to score in Losail
Lewis Hamilton’s penultimate race as a Mercedes driver marked another low in his final season at the team as he picked up two penalties and finished outside the points.

Perez’s Red Bull future beyond Abu Dhabi “will be his decision” – Horner
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner suggested Sergio Perez may choose not to remain at the team next year after another point-less race in Qatar.

Russell, Lawson, Albon and Stroll collect penalty points for Qatar GP incidents
Four more drivers have received penalty points on their licences for incidents during the Qatar Grand Prix.

Analysis: Was F1 race director right not to neutralise race despite debris on track?
Formula 1 race director Rui Marques’s decision not to neutralise the Qatar Grand Prix to allow a piece of debris to be removed prompted some criticism.

Verstappen “lost all respect” for Russell “trying to screw me over” with penalty
Max Verstappen slated George Russell over his rival’s remarks in yesterday’s meeting with the stewards which led to the Red Bull driver receiving a penalty.

Alpine team boss does not confirm claims Doohan will replace Ocon at next race
Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes was surprised to be questioned over reports Alpine will replace Esteban Ocon at the next round.

Norris accepts “fair” stop-go penalty but says he saw no yellow flags
Lando Norris said he didn’t see any yellow flags after he was penalised for failing to slow in reaction to them during the Qatar Grand Prix.

Car was “mint” in practice but we couldn’t make it faster – Norris
Lando Norris says McLaren hit the ceiling of their car’s potential quickly at the Qatar Grand Prix.

[genius83]

Official: Ocon out, Doohan in at Alpine for season finale
Alpine has confirmed Esteban Ocon will not participate in what was due to be his final start for the team.

FIA explains why race director did not neutralise race after yellow flag for debris
The FIA has explained why Formula 1’s race director did not suspend yesterday’s Qatar Grand Prix after warning drivers about debris on the track.

F1 switched to back-up Safety Car after lights failure during Qatar Grand Prix
Formula 1 used two different Safety Cars during yesterday’s Qatar Grand Prix after a technical problem struck the first.

“Lando did not lift”: How Verstappen and Red Bull lobbied for Norris’s penalty
Teams and drivers using radio communications to push for rivals to get penalties has become a feature of modern Formula 1.

Divorce is in the air. What’s next for Red Bull, RB, Perez – and his replacement?
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner’s responses over Sergio Perez’s future changed noticeably in the wake of the Qatar Grand Prix, where the team’s hopes of winning a third consecutive constructors’ championship ended.

[genius83]

Here is the Timing Schedule for this weekend's Season Finale Abu Dhabi GP:

Abu Dhabi GP
Friday
Practice Session 1   14:30 To 15:30
Practice Session 2   18:00 To 19:00

Saturday
Practice Session 3   15:00 To 16:00
Qualifying Session   19:00 To 20:00

Sunday
Race                 18:00 To 20:00

[genius83]

Leaving Alpine without farewell “not how I wanted things to end” – Ocon
Esteban Ocon has apologised to factory staff at Alpine following the announcement he will not participate in what was supposed to be his final race for the team this weekend.

Arthur Leclerc to drive alongside brother Charles in first practice at Ferrari
Arthur Leclerc will make his debut in an official Formula 1 practice session at this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Formula 1 announces final Dutch Grand Prix to take place in 2026
The Dutch Grand Prix will disappear from the Formula 1 calendar after 2026, the series has announced.

[genius83]

Hamilton’s puncture not caused by mirror debris – Mercedes
The puncture which struck Lewis Hamilton during the Qatar Grand Prix was not caused by the debris scattered when Valtteri Bottas hit a wing mirror, Mercedes believes.

Six junior drivers including three newcomers get Yas Marina F1 practice runs
Six junior drivers, including three who have never previously participated in an official Formula 1 session, will take part in practice tomorrow for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

This year “one of my worst” for handling emotions amid Mercedes exit – Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton admitted he hasn’t handled the emotional strain of his coming departure from Mercedes well at times this year.

Verstappen and Hamilton “sad” to lose Dutch Grand Prix from F1 calendar
Max Verstappen said he was disappointed by the news his home race will disappear from the Formula 1 calendar after 2026.

Russell: Verstappen threatened ‘I’ll put you on your f****** head in the wall’
George Russell has accused Max Verstappen of threatening to deliberately crash into him during the Qatar Grand Prix.

[genius83]

Leclerc leads first practice but collects 10-place grid penalty for race
Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in the opening practice session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but faces a 10-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race.

Abu Dhabi GP
Practice Session 1
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model    Time      Gap
 1  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-24    1:24.321s  -
 2   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38    1:24.542s 0.221s
 3  44  Lewis Hamilton    Mercedes              W15      1:24.806s 0.485s
 4  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W15      1:25.165s 0.844s
 5  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A524     1:25.333s 1.012s
 6  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24    1:25.373s 1.052s
 7  43  Franco Colapinto  Williams-Mercedes     FW46     1:25.382s 1.061s
 8  20  Kevin Magnussen   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24    1:25.444s 1.123s
 9  34  Felipe Drugovich  Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24    1:25.471s 1.150s
10  11  Sergio Perez      Red Bull-Honda        RB20     1:25.483s 1.162s
11  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24    1:25.504s 1.183s
12  30  Liam Lawson       RB-Honda              VCARB01  1:25.563s 1.242s
13  77  Valtteri Bottas   Sauber-Ferrari        C44      1:25.611s 1.290s
14  37  Isack Hadjar      Red Bull-Honda        RB20     1:25.877s 1.556s
15  24  Zhou Guanyu       Sauber-Ferrari        C44      1:25.921s 1.600s
16  40  Ayumu Iwasa       RB-Honda              VCARB01  1:26.121s 1.800s
17  39  Arthur Leclerc    Ferrari               SF-24    1:26.179s 1.858s
18  61  Jack Doohan       Alpine-Renault        A524     1:26.304s 1.983s
19  46  Luke Browning     Williams-Mercedes     FW46     1:26.519s 2.198s
20  28  Ryo Hirakawa      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38    1:27.354s 3.033s

Russell and Verstappen cast new light on clash which triggered explosive row
Max Verstappen and George Russell traded verbal blows ahead of this weekend’s race over the incident which cost the Red Bull driver pole position for last weekend’s race.

Handing Perez early contract extension “obviously didn’t work”, Horner admits
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has given a further indication they are preparing to part ways with Sergio Perez.

Horner ‘believes 100%’ Verstappen did not threaten to crash into Russell
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has given his full backing to Max Verstappen in his war of words with George Russell.

New deal keeps Chinese Grand Prix on F1 calendar until at least 2030
Formula 1 has agreed a new deal to keep the Chinese Grand Prix on its calendar until at least 2030.

F1 gets warmer weather for final race in longest-ever season
At the end of a marathon season, the longest-ever in the history of Formula 1, drivers will at least have a fairly straight forward weekend in Abu Dhabi to finish off.

GM names Lowdon in charge of Cadillac F1 team
General Motors has named Graeme Lowdon as the team principal of its new Formula 1 operation which has an agreement in principle to enter the series in 2026 under its Cadillac brand.

Leclerc says younger brother Arthur “deserves” to realise F1 dream
Charles Leclerc says participating in first practice on Friday with younger brother Arthur will be a “very, very special moment” for his family.

Alonso believes “nationality” explains Verstappen’s Qatar GP penalty
Fernando Alonso doubts Max Verstappen would have lost his pole position at the Qatar Grand Prix had he held up another driver in qualifying, such as himself.

Russell shows he’s no soft touch with vehement criticism of “bully” Verstappen
At Formula 1’s Abu Dhabi season finale 12 months Lando Norris, firmly corrected a journalist from another publication who made the mistake of describing Max Verstappen as his ‘BFF’ – i.e. ‘best friend forever’.

No extra pressure on debut despite Alpine’s championship situation – Doohan
Alpine rookie Jack Doohan insists he is not facing any additional pressure on his F1 debut despite his team’s fight for sixth place in the constructors’ championship.

[genius83]

McLaren make strong start to showdown as Norris and Piastri head times
Lando Norris gave McLaren a positive end to their Friday by setting the quickest time in the second practice session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Abu Dhabi GP
Practice Session 2
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model    Time      Gap
 1   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38    1:23.517s  -
 2  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38    1:23.751s 0.234s
 3  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24    1:23.979s 0.462s
 4  55  Carlos Sainz Jnr  Ferrari               SF-24    1:24.099s 0.582s
 5  44  Lewis Hamilton    Mercedes              W15      1:24.119s 0.602s
 6  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-24    1:24.201s 0.684s
 7  77  Valtteri Bottas   Sauber-Ferrari        C44      1:24.230s 0.713s
 8  20  Kevin Magnussen   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24    1:24.235s 0.718s
 9  23  Alexander Albon   Williams-Mercedes     FW46     1:24.269s 0.752s
10  22  Yuki Tsunoda      RB-Honda              VCARB01  1:24.497s 0.980s
11  30  Liam Lawson       RB-Honda              VCARB01  1:24.503s 0.986s
12  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A524     1:24.517s 1.000s
13  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W15      1:24.534s 1.017s
14  11  Sergio Perez      Red Bull-Honda        RB20     1:24.555s 1.038s
15  24  Zhou Guanyu       Sauber-Ferrari        C44      1:24.557s 1.040s
16  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24    1:24.574s 1.057s
17   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB20     1:24.598s 1.081s
18  18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24    1:24.686s 1.169s
19  61  Jack Doohan       Alpine-Renault        A524     1:24.961s 1.444s
20  43  Franco Colapinto  Williams-Mercedes     FW46     1:25.265s 1.748s

[genius83]

Start of final weekend at Mercedes feels “very surreal” for Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton admitted it felt strange to begin his final weekend as a Mercedes driver after the first day of practice at Yas Marina.

Exhausted Leclerc hit by food poisoning as well as grid penalty
Charles Leclerc’s woes multiplied on the opening day of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as he suffered the effects of food poisoning.

Hadjar encouraged by “competitive” F1 practice run for Red Bull
Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar felt his latest Formula 1 practice run for the team at Yas Marina was “competitive”.

[genius83]

Piastri leads Norris as McLaren pair end final practice quickest again
McLaren head into the final qualifying session of the season full of confidence after Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris set the pace in final practice.

Abu Dhabi GP
Practice Session 3
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model    Time      Gap
 1  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38    1:23.433s  -
 2   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38    1:23.626s 0.193s
 3  44  Lewis Hamilton    Mercedes              W15      1:23.823s 0.390s
 4   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB20     1:23.844s 0.411s
 5  55  Carlos Sainz Jnr  Ferrari               SF-24    1:23.871s 0.438s
 6  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W15      1:24.075s 0.642s
 7  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24    1:24.093s 0.660s
 8  20  Kevin Magnussen   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24    1:24.094s 0.661s
 9  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-24    1:24.098s 0.665s
10  11  Sergio Perez      Red Bull-Honda        RB20     1:24.283s 0.850s
11  22  Yuki Tsunoda      RB-Honda              VCARB01  1:24.343s 0.910s
12  23  Alexander Albon   Williams-Mercedes     FW46     1:24.378s 0.945s
13  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A524     1:24.408s 0.975s
14  61  Jack Doohan       Alpine-Renault        A524     1:24.434s 1.001s
15  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24    1:24.453s 1.020s
16  77  Valtteri Bottas   Sauber-Ferrari        C44      1:24.479s 1.046s
17  30  Liam Lawson       RB-Honda              VCARB01  1:24.519s 1.086s
18  18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24    1:24.531s 1.098s
19  24  Zhou Guanyu       Sauber-Ferrari        C44      1:24.668s 1.235s
20  43  Franco Colapinto  Williams-Mercedes     FW46     1:24.766s 1.333s

[genius83]

Norris leads all-McLaren front row, Hulkenberg beats Verstappen to fourth
Lando Norris heads a front row lock-out for McLaren in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Carlos Sainz Jnr starting third behind Oscar Piastri.

Abu Dhabi GP
Qualifying Session
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model    Time      Gap
 1   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38    1:22.595s  -
 2  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38    1:22.804s 0.209s
 3  55  Carlos Sainz Jnr  Ferrari               SF-24    1:22.824s 0.229s
 4  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24    1:22.886s 0.291s
 5   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB20     1:22.945s 0.350s
 6  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A524     1:22.984s 0.389s
 7  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W15      1:23.132s 0.537s
 8  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24    1:23.196s 0.601s
 9  77  Valtteri Bottas   Sauber-Ferrari        C44      1:23.204s 0.609s
10  11  Sergio Perez      Red Bull-Honda        RB20     1:23.264s 0.669s
11  22  Yuki Tsunoda      RB-Honda              VCARB01  1:23.419s 0.434s
12  30  Liam Lawson       RB-Honda              VCARB01  1:23.472s 0.487s
13  18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24    1:23.784s 0.799s
14  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-24    1:23.833s 0.848s
15  20  Kevin Magnussen   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24    1:23.877s 0.892s
16  23  Alexander Albon   Williams-Mercedes     FW46     1:23.821s 0.519s
17  24  Zhou Guanyu       Sauber-Ferrari        C44      1:23.880s 0.578s
18  44  Lewis Hamilton    Mercedes              W15      1:23.887s 0.585s
19  43  Franco Colapinto  Williams-Mercedes     FW46     1:23.912s 0.610s
20  61  Jack Doohan       Alpine-Renault        A524     1:24.105s 0.803s

Hulkenberg thrilled to qualify fourth but faces investigation over pit exit incident
Nico Hulkenberg admits he was not expecting Haas to be as strong in qualifying as they were after he ended the session inside the top four.

“Difficult to take” falling to back of grid after lap time deletion – Leclerc
Charles Leclerc took responsibility for the mistake which led to him qualifying on the back row of the grid for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Bollard which caused Hamilton’s Q1 exit ‘couldn’t have been timed more perfect’
Lewis Hamilton said it was “just my luck” after a strange incident with a bollard led to his elimination in the first round of qualifying in his final grand prix as a Mercedes driver.

[genius83]

Wolff rails over ‘idiotic, inexcusable’ strategy after Hamilton’s Q1 elimination
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was furious over the team’s strategy in qualifying which contributed to Lewis Hamilton’s elimination in the first round of qualifying on his final appearance for them.

Verstappen says second was best result possible after falling from first to fifth
Max Verstappen does not believe he could have taken pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix despite his strong showing in today’s qualifying session.

Penalty for pit exit passes drops Hulkenberg to seventh on grid
Nico Hulkenberg has lost his second row start for Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after he was handed a three-place grid penalty by the stewards.

“Stressful”: Perez and Piastri vexed by stewards’ U-turns over deleted lap times
Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri said their qualifying performances were compromised by the stewards deleting their lap times, then reinstating them.

I could have won races earlier but I wanted to win with McLaren – Norris
Lando Norris says it means more to him to have achieved success with McLaren, the team that brought him into Formula 1.

[genius83]

Norris beats Ferrari pair to deliver long-awaited constructors’ title for McLaren
Lando Norris sealed the constructors’ championship for McLaren by winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ahead of Carlos Sainz Jnr and Charles Leclerc.

Abu Dhabi GP
Race Results
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model   Laps Time         Gap     Pts
 1   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38    58  1:26:33.291s  -       25
 2  55  Carlos Sainz      Ferrari               SF-24    58  1:26:39.123s  5.832s  18
 3  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-24    58  1:27:05.219s 31.928s  15
 4  44  Lewis Hamilton    Mercedes              W15      58  1:27:09.774s 36.483s  12
 5  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W15      58  1:27:10.829s 37.538s  10
 6   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB20     58  1:27:23.138s 49.847s   8
 7  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine                A524     58  1:27:45.851s 72.560s   6
 8  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24    58  1:27:48.845s 75.554s   4
 9  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercede  AMR24    58  1:27:55.664s 82.373s   2
10  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL38    58  1:27:57.112s 83.821s   1
11  23  Alex Albon        Williams-Mercedes     FW46     57   1 Lap
12  22  Yuki Tsunoda      RB-Honda              VCARB01  57   1 Lap
13  24  Zhou Guanyu       Sauber-Ferrari        C44      57   1 Lap
14  18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24    57   1 Lap
15  61  Jack Doohan       Alpine-Renault        A524     57   1 Lap
16  20  Kevin Magnussen   Haas-Ferrari          VF-24    57   1 Lap
dnf 30  Liam Lawson       RB-Honda              VCARB01  55   3 Laps
dnf 77  Valtteri Bottas   Sauber-Ferrari        C44      30  28 Laps
dnf 43  Franco Colapinto  Williams-Mercedes     FW46     26  32 Laps
dnf 11  Sergio Perez      Red Bull-Honda        RB20s     0
Fastest Lap: Kevin Magnussen 1:25.637s

Here is the Final World Standings of the Season 2024 after the Abu Dhabi GP:

World Drivers Championship Standings
Pos Driver                  Pts
 1  Max Verstappen          437
 2  Lando Norris            374
 3  Charles Leclerc         356
 4  Oscar Piastri           292
 5  Carlos Sainz Jnr        290
 6  George Russell          245
 7  Lewis Hamilton          223
 8  Sergio Perez            152
 9  Fernando Alonso          70
10  Pierre Gasly             42
11  Nico Hulkenberg          41
12  Yuki Tsunoda             30
13  Lance Stroll             24
14  Esteban Ocon             23
15  Kevin Magnussen          16
16  Alexander Albon          12
17  Daniel Ricciardo         12
18  Oliver Bearman            7
19  Franco Colapinto          5
20  Zhou Guanyu               4
21  Liam Lawson               4
22  Valtteri Bottas           0
23  Logan Sargeant            0

World Constructors Championship Standings
Pos Team               Pts
 1  McLaren            666
 2  Ferrari            652
 3  Red Bull           589
 4  Mercedes           468
 5  Aston Martin        94
 6  Alpine              67
 7  Haas                58
 8  RB                  46
 9  Williams            17
10  Sauber               4

McLaren win F1 constructors’ championship for first time in 26 years
McLaren has sealed its first Formula 1 constructor’s championship for 26 years in the final round of the 2024 championship.

Verstappen now within four points of race ban after penalty for Piastri clash
Max Verstappen has moved closer to an automatic race ban after being penalised for his collision with Oscar Piastri.

“From the bottom of my heart”: Hamilton’s emotional radio farewell to Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton said an emotional farewell to his Mercedes team at the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Perez will ‘discuss what’s best for everyone’ at Red Bull after dismal end to season
Sergio Perez admitted he will have to “see what happens” about his seat at Red Bull in 2025 after a dismal end to the championship in Abu Dhabi.

[genius83]

Verstappen apologised for collision, his penalty “speaks for itself” – Piastri
Oscar Piastri revealed Max Verstappen apologised for the collision between the pair on the first lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Recovery drive from 16th to fourth a “good way to end” Mercedes chapter – Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton was satisfied with his final grand prix as a Mercedes driver after finishing fourth in Abu Dhabi.

Bottas handed five-place grid penalty he may never serve
The stewards have issued a five-place grid penalty to Valtteri Bottas which he may never serve.

Bollard incident in qualifying cost Hamilton shot at final Mercedes win – Wolff
Lewis Hamilton’s bizarre incident with a bollard during qualifying cost him a chance to win his final race for Mercedes, team principal Toto Wolff believes.

Fights with Verstappen showed where I need to improve next year – Norris
Lando Norris acknowledged he will have to do better when he fights Max Verstappen on-track than he has done this year.

[genius83]

Leclerc quickest in F1’s post-season, Antonelli fifth after reduced day
Charles Leclerc was quickest in Formula 1’s sole day of post-season testing, as he again shared the track with his brother Arthur.

Abu Dhabi Post Season Testing
Pos Driver                Team          Model   Best Time  Gap    Laps
 1  Charles Leclerc       Ferrari       SF-24   1:23.510s   -      134
 2  Carlos Sainz Jnr      Williams      FW46    1:23.635s  0.125s  146
 3  George Russell        Mercedes      W15     1:23.789s  0.279s  134
 4  Nico Hulkenberg       Sauber        C44     1:23.856s  0.346s  113
 5  Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes      W15     1:23.873s  0.363s   62
 6  Ayumu Iwasa           RB            RB01    1:24.100s  0.590s  110
 7  Pato O:Ward           McLaren       MCL38   1:24.222s  0.712s  116
 8  Jack Doohan           Alpine        A524    1:24.268s  0.758s  137
 9  Paul Aron             Alpine        A524    1:24.275s  0.765s  121
10  Esteban Ocon          Haas          VF-24   1:24.305s  0.795s  119
11  Luke Browning         Williams      FW46    1:24.375s  0.865s  105
12  Ryo Hirakawa          Haas          VF-24   1:24.435s  0.925s  133
13  Liam Lawson           RB            RB01    1:24.440s  0.930s  159
14  Arthur Leclerc        Ferrari       SF-24   1:24.576s  1.066s   68
15  Isack Hadjar          Red Bull      RB20    1:24.632s  1.122s  125
16  Lando Norris          McLaren       MCL38   1:24.678s  1.168s   84
17  Yuki Tsunoda          Red Bull      RB20    1:24.689s  1.179s  127
18  Gabriel Bortoleto     Sauber        C44     1:24.738s  1.228s  130
19  Oscar Piastri         McLaren       MCL38   1:24.838s  1.328s   72
20  Jak Crawford          Aston Martin  AMR24   1:24.997s  1.487s  109
21  Felipe Drugovich      Aston Martin  AMR24   1:25.014s  1.504s  146
22  Frederik Vesti        Mercedes      W15     1:25.159s  1.649s   55
23  Antonio Fuoco         Ferrari       SF-24   1:25.238s  1.728s   73

Ferrari confirms it will supply power units to Andretti for 2026 F1 entry
Ferrari has signed a multi-year agreement with Andretti to supply power units and gearboxes for its planned Formula 1 team from 2026.

Sainz spent final laps at Ferrari preparing for first Williams test
Carlos Sainz Jnr has revealed he was already thinking about his first test for Williams as he completed his final grand prix for Ferrari on Sunday.

Three F1 drivers to make early start with new teams in Yas Marina test on Tuesday
Three Formula 1 drivers will have the chance to make an early start with their new teams for 2025 in the sole day of post-season testing tomorrow.