2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

“It screwed us:” Safety Car period had major championship consequences for Haas.
With the Safety Car deployed, every driver who hadn’t changed tyres yet headed for the pits. Magnussen was among those who suffered the most.
3rd Dec 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

“I’m super gutted with the Safety Car coming out,” said Magnussen afterwards, “it completely ruined the day for me. It was going well and we had a good beginning to the race, but I just wish that Safety Car hadn’t come out because it really screwed us. There’s still one race to go and we’ll go into it giving everything.”

“I’m super gutted”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/12/03/...nces-for-haas/


Qatar Grand Prix: Race Recap
Dec 1, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal: “Today, with Nico coming from P18 it was always going to be difficult, and unfortunately, we didn’t get anything. Kevin, from his side, drove well again but we just didn’t get the philosophy right. He was unlucky with the safety car, but we could’ve covered ourselves a bit better than we did today.”

“The good thing is the deficit is only five points and in Abu Dhabi we really need to focus on getting both of our drivers into points-scoring positions. P8, and P9 – that’s six points – so it’s still all to play for, we need to learn from our mistakes, regroup and focus on doing our best in Abu Dhabi to try and get P6 back.”

‘Race Recap’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/qata...x-race-recap-1


Hulkenberg rues ‘messy’ DNF in Qatar as Magnussen promises Haas will go ‘guns blazing’ in Abu Dhabi
3 Dec 2024
Formula One - Official Site

With Pierre Gasly crossing the line in fifth, Hulkenberg’s lack of points in Qatar has helped Alpine to take a five-point lead over Haas in the battle for sixth in the constructors’ standings. “Turn 1 – it was messy,” the 37-year-old admitted after the race. “There was contact, I honestly can’t remember. It was all happening very quickly – I don’t know if I got hit first or touched someone. Then a long stint in traffic, then kind of unlucky with the Safety Car because the others got a free stop.”

His team mate Kevin Magnussen left Qatar on a more positive note as he netted two points for Haas in P9, profiting from Lando Norris’s stop/go penalty to secure the team’s ninth points finish in the last 10 races. “We had a good beginning to the race and everything was going well – just wish that Safety Car hadn’t come out,” Magnussen said after the race. “That really screwed us but anyway, there’s still a race to go and we’ll go in there guns blazing.”

“We deserve better but luck unfortunately hasn’t been on our side recently. We’ve just got to do what we can. As I said, still a round to go – five points’ deficit is not the easiest of tasks, but still all to play for.”

‘Guns blazing’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...jPCbPYHSTtTsLa


Pietro Fittipaldi shares what’s ‘allowing’ Kevin Magnussen to ‘maximse his potential’ ahead of F1 exit
3 Dec 2024
Luke-John Buckle
F1 Oversteer

Haas brought some upgrades to the floor and bodywork of the car ahead of the United States Grand Prix as they push for sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship. The American team have been consistent contenders in the midfield and taken a step forward from last season which was more of a struggle.

These additions have seen Magnussen score points twice since the event at Circuit of the Americas, and he may have been in contention in Brazil before he had to withdraw. Formula 1 cars are so refined that they have a very narrow operating window which can make them difficult to drive.

Haas test and reserve driver Fittipaldi explained the upgrades give the car more rear security, which has given the Dane more confidence. He said: “Every driver has certain driving styles that if you really maximise it, they can really extract more potential. I believe with these new upgrades we have in the car, which has given us a lot more rear security in the car, it’s allowing Kevin to really maximise his potential.”

‘Upgrades give the car more rear security’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/pie...ad-of-f1-exit/

[Fortitude]

‘Done well’: How Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull sim times compare to Max Verstappen’s amid 2025 promotion talk.
A lot has been made of the fact that in his four years as a Formula 1 driver, Tsunoda has never been given the chance to test for Red Bull.
4 Dec 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

That will change in the post-season test after the race in Abu Dhabi when – after some pressure from his primary backers Honda – Tsunoda will finally get his chance in the RB20.

Journalist Tim Hauraney was speaking on the Nailing The Apex Podcast about Tsunoda’s future and how he’s performed behind the scenes at Red Bull and said: “At the end of the day, Verstappen chews up and spits out teammates

“When have we seen a driver really hold their own aside from Daniel Riccardo against Max Verstappen? And even then we can argue that Daniel may not have been able to really hold his own because he left.”

‘Yuki Tsunoda’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/how...romotion-talk/


Tsunoda reveals confusion over misheard “beaver” radio message
Yuki Tsunoda did not hear properly a warning from his RB Formula 1 team about a loose mirror on the track during the Qatar GP
Dec 1, 2024
Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Yuki Tsunoda revealed he misheard a radio message warning about a loose mirror on the track during the Qatar Grand Prix and thought he'd been told there was a beaver.

Asked by Motorsport.com if he had seen the mirror, Tsunoda said: “Was it mirror? I heard beaver. My engineers said: 'There's a beaver.' But why is there a beaver in the Middle East? Like how is it possible a beaver is in the Middle East?”

“But okay, maybe there's a surprise with global warming - kicking a lot of interesting things in the Earth.” Red Bull boss Christian Horner joked afterwards about the difference between hearing mirror and beaver: “That is quite a change….”

“I heard beaver”;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/t...sage/10678483/


Why Red Bull’s 2025 car might not be ‘technically suitable’ for Liam Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda
4 Dec 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

2025 Red Bull car may not be ‘technically suitable’ for Liam Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda. The problem with Red Bull’s car and the reason why they have struggled to lock down a regular second driver over the years comes down to one thing.

Their car is simply geared towards one man – that is four-time champion Verstappen and his exact driving style, which makes it tricky for others to adjust to. Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon and Sergio Perez have all failed to match him on a regular basis over the last five years and now it appears that someone else will get a go.

‘Red Bull’s 2025 car’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/why...-yuki-tsunoda/


Helmut Marko suggests factors behind Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull F1 omission
3 Dec 2024
Motorsport Week

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has indicated Yuki Tsunoda being overlooked for a promotion in Formula 1 has derived from him lacking both “continuity and stability”. Tsunoda appears not to have done enough to convince Red Bull to promote him, despite emerging as RB’s standout driver this season with 30 of the team’s 46 points.

Asked whether he believes he is a serious option to replace the struggling Perez, Tsunoda told media including Motorsport Week: “I don’t know.
“Please could you interview them and find out? To be honest, I don’t know. Even whatever they say in the interview, even they say, ‘Yuki is in the mix’, I don’t know if that’s the truth or not to be honest.”

“So, yeah, I hope I’m in that mix, and if not, I don’t know what I should do more than this, to be honest. I’ll just keep pushing and things I can control. And those things, the Red Bull seat, they decide everything. I’m sure if I’m in the seat, I can fight for a higher Constructors’ Championship [position] and what they want. But, other things, politics things. They decide what they want.”

“Please could you interview them and find out?”

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...l-f1-omission/


Lawson: “Nothing’s changed” on future after frustrating Qatar GP
4 Dec 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Liam Lawson insists that a scrappy Qatar GP won’t impact his future prospects despite it coming just as Red Bull makes up its mind about who will replace Sergio Perez in 2025. Lawson spun at the first safety car restart in Qatar, forcing Valtteri Bottas off the road. He subsequently received a 10-second penalty.

Later in the race both he and team mate Yuki Tsunoda were switched to soft tyres in an attempt to find some performance. However that gamble didn’t pay off, and they finished 13th and 14th, with the Japanese driver ahead.

“Nothing’s changed”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/12/04/...ting-qatar-gp/

[Fortitude]

Williams “very short on components” after 17th crash of season.
Williams team principal James Vowles admits the team is facing a serious shortage of parts heading into the final race of the season.
5th Dec 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Williams is flying extra staff to Yas Marina, scene of this weekend’s final race, to help repair their FW46s after both cars were damaged again in Losail. “You’d expect three large accidents, maybe, at the upper end, in a year,” said Vowles in a video released by the team. “Yet we’re here looking at 17 accidents, total, in 23 races.”

“The damage with Franco [Colapinto], unfortunately, is large. The chassis was impacted and we have a team going out to Abu Dhabi that will be there shortly working through the night in order to make sure we’re back up and racing. The gearbox was impacted in damage on both cars from incidents and then there’s floor damage, rear suspension damage and other miscellaneous components as well. Normally in a season you can sustain that. But race, after race, after race – we are getting very short on components.”

‘Williams is flying extra staff to help repair their FW46s’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/12/05/...nd-up-05-12-7/


Williams crash damage impact: 'very much in a low part situation'
5th Dec 2024
Jenny Garnett
GPblog.com

After suffering from 17 incidents in 23 races, Williams have had a very costly season for their repairs budget. Team Principal James Vowles explains the impact of the crashes on the team's parts supply and their approach to the season's finale in Abu Dhabi.

Reflecting on the weekend in The Vowles Verdict, Vowles spoke on the incidents in Qatar, “It will have repercussions on what we have available in Abu Dhabi. We’re now very much in a low part situation.”

Following Colapinto’s Turn 1 collision with Ocon and Hulkenberg, Vowles shared that the young Argentine’s car has sufferd severe damage including to the car's floor, rear suspension and other miscellaneous components.

'Very much in a low part situation';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31684...ge-impact.html


Qatar GP: More misfortune for Williams Racing
Dec 2, 2024
Williams Racing
WilliamsF1 Supporters

Sven Smeets Sporting Director: "A difficult evening for the team today. At the race start we immediately lost Franco as he was hit by Ocon who in turn was hit by Hulkenberg. There was nothing Franco could do other than to retire in lap 1. After a few laps it was clear that with Alex we had to change our strategy and decided to run as long as possible. When the Safety Car came out because some cars were having punctures, we decided to put Alex on the Soft tyre and not onto the Hard.”

“We knew it was a gamble but at one point we were running up in 9th place. Unfortunately, our decision didn’t pay off today and Alex had to make another stop just before the end. A tough day for the team again but we are going to Abu Dhabi to fight for points in the last race of the season."

‘More misfortune’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st206672.htm


‘My fault, lost control’ – Albon holds his hands up after Magnussen clash
1 Dec 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Alex Albon made contact with Kevin Magnussen as the pair were fighting for position in Qatar. Albon ultimately finished 15th and last for Williams.

‘My fault, lost control’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/my...61925594950035


Axed F1 driver lands new job after classy reaction to being dropped
A former F1 driver has been handed a new job after being axed from the sport.
Dec 4, 2024
Tom Parsons
Daily and Sunday Express

Logan Sargeant will feature for Genesis Magma Racing in the European Le Mans Series after being handed his first role since his F1 departure. The American was axed by Williams in favour of Franco Colapinto after crashing out of the Dutch Grand Prix in August, with Carlos Sainz joining the team to partner Alex Albon next season.

‘New job’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...nt-F1-Williams


Sargeant lands sportscar drive after Williams F1 exit
Logan Sargeant joins Jamie Chadwick in the 2025 European Le Mans Series as Genesis ramps up its sportscar programme
Dec 4, 2024
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Former Williams Formula 1 driver Logan Sargeant has agreed to drive in the 2025 European Le Mans Series, joining Jamie Chadwick at the new LMP2 entry run by Genesis and IDEC Sport. The 23-year-old will be joined by three-time W Series champion and Indy NXT race winner Jamie Chadwick, as well as young French talent Mathys Jaubert.

It is set to be Sargeant's first competitive drive since losing his WIlliams F1 seat midway through the 2024 season, being replaced by Franco Colapinto for September's Italian Grand Prix after 18 frustrating months with the squad.

‘Sargeant lands sportscar’;

https://www.motorsport.com/elms/news...exit/10679205/

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen launches new attack on George Russell ahead of Abu Dhabi GP as ugly F1 row escalates.
He joked to Sky Sports' David Croft: "I'm going to go flat out on my cooldown lap and act like I'm going to crash into everyone!”
5 Dec 2024
SPORTbible

Max Verstappen has addressed the fallout from his comments on George Russell ahead of F1's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - and launched a fresh attack on his rival.

"It has nothing to do with him being head of the drivers' association [Grand Prix Drivers' Association, of which Russell is a director]. He simply lied about what he was or wasn't doing, and certainly influenced the stewards.”

"I see someone flying when I look in my rearview mirror, acting like it's most dangerous situation in the world or like I almost killed him. I don't know how they [the stewards] came to that conclusion. It was very disappointing to me."

‘F1 row escalates’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/max-ve...07792-20241205


Häkkinen predicts tenth win in 2024 for Verstappen in Abu Dhabi
5 Dec 2024
Jenny Garnett
GPblog.com

Despite issues in the middle of the season, Max Verstappen seems to have found pace in his RB20 once again as the 2024 season comes to a close. The Dutch driver has won Grand Prix in Sao Paulo and Qatar, and Mika Häkkinen expects him to do the same again in Abu Dhabi.

Max Verstappen 's record currently stands at nine wins this season after the Qatar Grand Prix. In Las Vegas, the Dutch driver already managed to cash in on his fourth world title, but he has made his desire to win in Qatar and Abu Dhabi no secret.

The Red Bull Racing driver has already taken one step towards this goal after winning the Qatar Grand Prix. This weekend, Formula 1 touches down in Abu Dhabi at a track that suits Verstappen as he has won here four times before.

‘Häkkinen predicts tenth win’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31682...abu-dhabi.html


Montoya warns McLaren against Verstappen: 'He is going to dive bomb'
5 Dec 2024
Jenny Garnett
GPblog.com

Juan Pablo Montoya has made a bold prediction for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Colombian driver stated that Max Verstappen could be tempted into creating big problems for drivers fighting in the Constuctors' Championsip. "I expect Verstappen to impact the Constructors Championship," the 49-year-old told Vision4Sport. "I think the constructors’ championship is pretty exciting. Max Verstappen could change that championship pretty quickly."

"He wants to win it and if he's going against McLaren, he's going for it. Because the McLaren needs to get out of the way if they are to win the Constructors'. And I think McLaren, in their mind, knows they just got to run around and bring the cars home."

"With Lando especially, and the McLaren guys in Abu Dhabi, if Max is behind them, he is going to dive bomb in there and if they turn, they're going to crash. But they cannot crash because they need the points. And Max knows that," Montoya said.

'He is going to dive bomb';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31681...-dhabi-gp.html


Jos Verstappen pinpoints Red Bull requirement for Perez success
Jos Verstappen has advised how Red Bull can remedy its unequal driver line-up, advocating for a "neutral car" to vault Sergio Perez - or whoever comes next - into contention at the sharp-end of F1.
3 Dec 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Statistics as such underline the gulf between the two drivers, something Verstappen Sr. says is up to Red Bull to address - both for Perez and more generally.

"That's not up to us, that's really up to the management of the team," the 52-year-old told The Coen and Sander Show on Dutch radio.

"But I'm also sure that if Red Bull builds a neutral car that everyone can handle, Checo will be there at the front again. But we actually have little to do with that."

‘How Red Bull can remedy its unequal driver line-up’;

https://racingnews365.com/jos-versta...-perez-success


Why Eddie Jordan thinks Max Verstappen must take some ‘blame’ for Sergio Perez’s downfall at Red Bull
5 Dec 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

Max Verstappen must take ‘blame’ for demanding Sergio Perez as his teammate. Verstappen has a history of trouncing his Red Bull teammates, just look at how he managed to destroy both Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon in quick succession.

Speaking on the Formula For Success podcast, former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan says that Verstappen needs to take some blame for the way Perez’s career has faltered. “I would say that it’s not a chance. But I put some blame on the team and I put some blame on Max because I know and you know that Max put pressure on Christian – he did not want Carlos Sainz in the car.”

“He wanted Checo in the car because he knew he could beat him. To be fair, Max has to just think about that a little bit. Christian has to think about that, they will deny it.”

‘Eddie Jordan thinks’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/why...l-at-red-bull/


Antonio Perez comes out with clear statement towards 'lying' journalists
5 Dec 2024
Sandy van Wijngaarden
GPblog.com

Sergio Perez's father has once again made himself heard on social media. The Mexican gave a hint about his son's future with a striking post. He has also given a clear message for 'lying' journalists.

Rumours have again circulated in the media in recent weeks that Perez is working on his last race weekend. It seems Antonio Perez has made a clear statement in response. "The lying journalists are already looking for me. Promise me to publicly apologise whoever the liars are. They or yours truly. On Monday, I will publish the list of lying journalists and lying media," his message read.

‘Clear message’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31682...ure-in-f1.html


Guanyu Zhou To Drive Red Bull TPC Program?
4 Dec 2024
F1 Chronicle

A second Formula 1 team has entered the frame to secure the services of Guanyu Zhou in 2025. The magazine claims Red Bull is particularly interested in the Chinese commercial backing, which has been estimated in the tens of millions per year, that Zhou can bring.

Zhou’s money would then help to fund a new ‘TPC’ test program for Red Bull – with TPC standing for ‘Testing of Previous Cars’. The regulations allow F1 teams to test on track, but only if the cars are at least two years old.

Auto Motor und Sport says Red Bull wants to prepare a 2023-spec Red Bull, explaining that the team has refrained from organising a TPC program until now “because Honda charges a considerable amount of money for the use of its engines”.

‘Guanyu Zhou To Red Bull’;

https://f1chronicle.com/guanyu-zhou-.../?nowprocket=1


Emotional Goodbyes: Why the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP Will be Emotional for Teams and Drivers
Dec 5, 2024
Vyas Ponnuri
Last Word On Sports

Lewis Hamilton to bid adieu to Mercedes after over a decade

Carlos Sainz parts ways with Ferrari after four seasons in red

Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen to leave Haas

Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu bid goodbye to KICK Sauber

‘Emotional Goodbyes’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...s-and-drivers/

[Fortitude]

F1 driver handed huge penalty by FIA for Abu Dhabi GP that could decide Constructors' Championship battle.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has been handed a potentially season-defining penalty by the FIA ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
6 Dec 2024
Ryan Smart
SPORTbible

Ferrari are in a battle for the Constructors' Championship with McLaren, and enter the final race of 2024 a total of 21 points behind their rivals. The Scuderia were anticipating the Yas Marina circuit to be more positive for their car than Qatar, which saw them finish second and sixth.

And Leclerc topped the timesheets in first practice despite limited track time, underlining the car's pace. But the Monegasque driver spent much of the session pacing around his garage as Ferrari worked on his car - and the FIA have now confirmed the exact issue in giving Leclerc a devastating penalty. He has received a 10-place grid drop for Sunday's race after exceeding his allocation of energy store components, meaning he can start the Grand Prix from no higher than 11th place.

If Leclerc does not finish in the points, McLaren would only need to collect six points to secure the title - though Ferrari will hope their driver can quickly climb up the field regardless of his starting position. An FIA document confirming the component change reads: "The energy store used by Charles Leclerc is the third of the two new energy stores allowed for the 2024 Championship season and this is not in conformity with Article 28.2 of the Sporting Regulations."

‘Potentially season-defining penalty’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/f1-abu...68497-20241206


Abu Dhabi GP: Free Practice 1 Results
Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina.
6 Dec 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 18 1:24.321
2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 24 1:24.542 0.221
3 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 26 1:24.806 0.485
4 63 George Russell Mercedes 26 1:25.165 0.844
5 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 23 1:25.333 1.012
6 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 22 1:25.373 1.052
7 43 Franco Colapinto Williams 23 1:25.382 1.061
8 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas 24 1:25.444 1.123
9 34 Felipe Drugovich Aston Martin 21 1:25.471 1.150
10 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 25 1:25.483 1.162

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/abu-dhabi-gp-f...ice-1-results/


Abu Dhabi GP: Leclerc tops FP1 but Ferrari suffers blow
06/12/2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Charles Leclerc topped Friday’s opening practice at Yas Marina despite a delayed start to his FP1 caused by a battery issue.

Unfortunately, adding a new energy store to the Monegasque’s inventory of hardware will mean a 10-place grid penalty for Leclerc on Sunday, a catastrophic setback for Ferrari’s championship ambitions.

McLaren’s Lando Norris clocked in second, 0.221s behind Leclerc while the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell ended the session third and fourth.

‘Charles Leclerc topped Friday’s opening practice’;

https://f1i.com/news/526786-abu-dhab...fers-blow.html


FP1 Highlights: 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
06/12/2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Watch highlights from first practice at the Yas Marina Circuit ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

‘FP1 Highlights’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/fp...91801514902719


Ferrari suffer huge F1 title blow as Charles Leclerc slapped with Abu Dhabi GP penalty
Charles Leclerc suffered car problems in first practice at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix which required fixing and led to a penalty which hampers Ferrari's F1 title bid
6 Dec 2024
Daniel Moxon
The Mirror

Ferrari's Formula 1 title chase took a huge blow on the eve of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with news of a grid penalty for Charles Leclerc. And that issue looks to have inflicted a significant blow on the Scuderia's title hopes. A change of battery was required, which takes Leclerc over his annual allowance and so triggers and automatic 10-place grid penalty for Sunday's Abu Dhabi race.

Despite missing a significant part of the session, Leclerc used FP1 to demonstrate that he may have the pace to beat the McLarens at the Yas Marina Circuit. His best effort was more than two-tenths of a second than the quickest lap Lando Norris could muster.

Lewis Hamilton was third quickest but almost half-a-second behind his future team-mate Leclerc. And George Russell, in the other Mercedes, was the only other driver who could record a time that was within a second of the Ferrari man.

‘Ferrari suffer huge F1 title blow’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...dhabi-34261632

[Fortitude]

Abu Dhabi GP: Lando Norris piles pain on Ferrari with McLaren 1-2 in FP2.
Although McLaren led the way on the medium tyres, Ferrari were able to mix it up with them but didn’t have the pace on the soft Pirellis to challenge their Constructors’ rivals. McLaren have a 21-point lead over Ferrari heading into Sunday’s finale.
6 Dec 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

In a busy start to the session, Liam Lawson, Charles Leclerc and then Lando Norris sat up in P1 in the first 10 minutes while George Russell reported “quite a lot of vibrations” with his opening gambit eight-tenths down.

Norris upped his pace to a 1:24.3, putting two-tenths between himself and Sainz who is contesting his final Grand Prix weekend in red. McLaren and Ferrari dominated the top positions on the timesheet in the opening 20 minutes with Leclerc third ahead of Oscar Piastri.

Verstappen was sixth fastest, almost a full second down on Norris and told Red Bull: “No power, still the understeer is ridiculous.” He pitted for a front wing adjustment, and took P5 off Russell.

‘Lando Norris piles pain on Ferrari’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/abu-dh...024-fp2-report


Abu Dhabi GP: Free Practice 2 Results
Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina.
7 Dec 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 24 1:23.517
2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 27 1:23.751 0.234
3 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 27 1:23.979 0.462
4 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 27 1:24.099 0.582
5 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 27 1:24.119 0.602
6 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 27 1:24.201 0.684
7 77 Valtteri Bottas Sauber 23 1:24.230 0.713
8 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas 24 1:24.235 0.718
9 23 Alex Albon Williams 21 1:24.269 0.752
10 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 27 1:24.497 0.980

‘Free Practice 2 Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/abu-dhabi-gp-f...ice-2-results/


Lando Norris leads McLaren 1-2 in second practice for F1 Abu Dhabi GP
Lando Norris topped the timesheets in second F1 practice for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
6 Dec 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Lando Norris headed the timesheets in second practice for the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, ahead of McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri. McLaren were the team to beat in second practice, with Norris leading his teammate by just over two-tenths.

The Woking-based outfit could clinch their first F1 constructors’ title since 1998 - they sit 21 points ahead of Ferrari going into Sunday’s race. The odds are firmly stacked in McLaren’s favour, particularly as Charles Leclerc will take a 10-place grid penalty for an engine component change.

‘McLaren 1-2’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/106128...1-abu-dhabi-gp


F1 Full Results | Abu Dhabi Grand Prix FP2: Norris and McLaren dominate
6 Dec 2024
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

Lando Norris dominated proceedings in the second free practice session of the weekend at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, topping the timing sheet for the majority of the session. His teammate Oscar Piastri was next in P2, giving the British team 1-2 as they look to seal the constructors' championship in the Middle East, their first since 1998. A brilliant lap from Nico Hulkenberg meant he rounded out the top three

Coming into this weekend at the Yas Marina Circuit, it was all about McLaren and Ferrari as they battle it out for the constructors' championship. The Italian team topped the first session with Charles Leclerc, but FP2 was all about Norris, who was rarely threatened on the timing sheet. With FP2 also resembling the conditions that will be seen for qualifying and the Grand Prix, it was a big statement from McLaren.

‘Norris and McLaren dominate’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31720...prix-2024.html


Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 2 Results
Who will be the happiest of the drivers after the penultimate practice session of the year?
Dec 6, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Light turns green: RB driver Yuki Tsunoda was the first driver to exit the pit lane for the penultimate practice session of the season. The Japanese driver set a 1:26.308 on the medium compound before Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu quickly beat his time with a 1:26.179.

Tsunoda’s RB team-mate Liam Lawson went quickest, setting a 1:25.527 on the medium compound. However, it wasn’t for long as the Ferrari driver went a tenth quicker than the Kiwi driver.

McLaren driver Lando Norris responded, going over four-tenths quicker than the Monegasque. The Briton set a 1:25.020 on the medium compound. The 25-year-old further improved his lap time to a 1:24.332 on the same compound – Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz slotted into second, two-tenths behind.

‘F1 Free Practice 2 Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ab.../?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

Sky commentator contradicts Russell: 'Verstappen didn't swear!'
Sky Sports commentator David Croft has refuted a comment made by George Russell live on air. The Brit claimed that Max Verstappen was 'standing around swearing' in the stewards' office after they were both brought in for a meeting to discuss their incident in Qatar last weekend.
6 Dec 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

Croft calls those accusations "serious" and says Verstappen has the right to respond because, according to his information, it is not true. Croft contradicts Russell: "There was a claim by George Russell that Max was swearing in the steward's room. Our indication is that there wasn't any swearing going on in the stewards room from Max Verstappen. He needs a right to reply because it's quite serious the comments that George was making."

This is what Russell said: According to Russell, Verstappen had a real tantrum during the meeting and even cursed and ranted at the stewards. "We went into the stewards, and for the first five minutes, I didn't say a word because they were only talking to Max, and he was already angry and swearing at the stewards," he claimed in a conversation with Viaplay.

David Croft: 'Verstappen didn't swear!'

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31724...n-f1-news.html


Russell’s Verstappen Spat Could Be Political
7 Dec 2024
F1 Chronicle

The spotlight is shining ever more brightly on George Russell in the wake of his public spat with Max Verstappen. The saga, in which the Mercedes driver furiously accused Verstappen of threatening him with “violence” and a crash in Qatar over a qualifying penalty, has now completely pulled in their respective F1 team bosses.

Toto Wolff (Mercedes) accused Red Bull’s Christian Horner of “yapping” like a “little terrier” for calling Russell “hysterical”. In response, Horner said in Abu Dhabi on Friday: “I’d rather be a terrier than a wolf.” It was Russell, though, who accused quadruple world champion Verstappen of being a “bully” and threatening to “put me on my f—— head in the wall” at the start in Qatar.

‘Spat Could Be Political’;

https://f1chronicle.com/russells-ver.../?nowprocket=1


Verstappen questions Russell role as F1 drivers' mouthpiece
George Russell is a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association - and Max Verstappen has suggested his recent comments do not reflect kindly on his position.
7 Dec 2024
Gerd Jansen & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen has moved to question George Russell's position as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) amid their recent public war of words. Addressing Russell's role within the GPDA, Verstappen highlighted the poor impression the 26-year-old's comments create.

“Well, that's kind of disappointing to see,” Verstappen told select media including RacingNews365 regarding Russell's recent comments. “I don't think that's the best example to show either to the FOM or the FIA, to be like that.”

‘Verstappen questions Russell role’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...ers-mouthpiece


Christian Horner tells ‘wound-up’ Russell how to fix Verstappen conflict
7 Dec 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

As Max Verstappen and George Russell duke it out in a war of words through the media, Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner has some advice for the best way to handle it. In fact, Horner thinks that rather than speaking to media, a “wound-up” Russell should simply speak to Verstappen “face-to-face.”

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Horner first set out to defend his World Champion by saying Verstappen has “no reason to lie. He’s never lied before. He’ll tell you straight.” Horner was referring to a hotly debated situation in the stewards room while assigning the penalty.

Russell alleges that Verstappen told him he would put his head into the wall via an intentional crash, while Verstappen claims otherwise. “And of course, Max wasn’t the only one in that steward room,” Horner told Sky. “Both the guys that were with him on our side came back, and they were a bit, ‘Wow. That was pretty punchy’ of how George approached that.”

“Face-to-face”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christ...appen-conflict


Horner says Verstappen 'doesn't forget anything!' amid row with Russell
7 Dec 2024
Estéban den Toom
GPblog.com

There has been much talk about Max Verstappen and George Russell in Formula 1 in the past few days. The two drivers got into a 'tiff' in Qatar, which has now spread to Abu Dhabi. Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner mentioned to reporters that he thinks they should 'battle it out' on the padel court.

"Do these things rather than doing it through through the media or through you guys or whatever. Just go and have a conversation. Talk about it man-to-man, face-to-face. If you got something to say, say it. And and rather than ‘he said, she said,’ far better to address it that way. And i think you know they've raced each other since they were they were kids. they know each other a lot as these drivers many of them do. And I think many situations are often dealt with better on the paddle court." the Red Bull Racing team principal told reporters.

Horner then compared Verstappen to an elephant. "And I'll tell you what, Max is like an elephant. And he never forgets".

'Tiff';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31732...ssell-row.html

[Fortitude]

Pace-setter Norris sure McLaren’s rivals are a real threat after another strong start.
At the end of the 24th Friday of the 2024 season, it was hard not to feel as though Ferrari’s difficult prospects of somehow overcoming a 21 point deficit in the constructors’ championship were now looking even slimmer.
6th Dec 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

While Leclerc was battling food poisoning he also had to stomach something much worse – a ten-place grid penalty for Sunday’s grand prix after Ferrari confirmed that he would have to take his third energy store of the season to make it through the final weekend of the year. Having gone 23 rounds without exceeding his power unit allowance, now he would be hit by a penalty at the worst possible time.

Leclerc therefore faces an exceptionally tough task to reach the kinds of high points-scoring positions the team needs from him to beat McLaren for their first constructors’ championship since 2008. Not to mention overhauling the two MCL38s. “The McLarens seem to be quicker, unfortunately,” Leclerc admitted at the end of he day. “So for now, they’ve got the upper hand.”

“We know that it can swing one way or the other very quickly and we’ve got to stay on top of everything. It won’t be finished until the very end. As we’ve seen, unfortunately, today on our side, we’ve had a problem. I’m not wishing a problem to anybody else, we’ll just focus on ourselves and try to do an amazing recovery on Sunday.”

‘Pace-setter Norris’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/12/06/...-strong-start/


‘Even with the penalty’: McLaren boss ‘would not be surprised’ if Charles Leclerc does one thing after Abu Dhabi Grand Prix penalty
7 Dec 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

McLaren boss Andrea Stella backs Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to recover from Abu Dhabi GP grid penalty. Ferrari face a hard task to take the teams’ title in the Abu Dhabi GP, as they trail McLaren by 21 points. It is a two-horse race in the constructors’ championship between their pairings of Leclerc and Carlos Sainz against Norris plus Piastri, with Red Bull’s defence of their title over.

The challenge facing the Scuderia at the Yas Marina Circuit also got that little bit harder after Leclerc received a 10-place grid penalty for the Abu Dhabi GP. Ferrari fitted his third battery of the year during FP1, which exceeded the Monegasque’s allowance of two for the season. “Not at all,” Stella explained on Friday during the team principal’s press conference at the Abu Dhabi GP. “Even with the penalty, I would not be surprised if we see them fighting for the top spots very quickly. So, nothing changes.”

‘Even with the penalty’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mcl...-prix-penalty/


Leclerc reveals fear at nearly missing out on rare F1 event
Charles Leclerc and his brother Arthur made F1 history at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
7 Dec 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Charles Leclerc has revealed his fear at near-missing out on a unique opportunity with his brother Arthur at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. For the first time in F1 history, two brothers were team-mates in an official session as Arthur deputised for Carlos Sainz to fulfill the mandatory rookie FP1 session.

"Unfortunately, as soon as we fired up the car, we saw that there was a problem with the energy store," he explained. "There were lots of things going through my head like 'am I going to drive with my brother?' which was a unique opportunity and obviously also the championship. That makes our weekend a lot more difficult, but it doesn't demotivate me at all.”

"McLaren seem to be quick, unfortunately, and so for now, they've got the upper hand, but we know it can swing one way or the other and we've got to stay on top of everything, and it won't be finished until the very end. Unfortunately, on our side, we've had a problem, and I'm not wishing a problem on anybody else, but we will just focus on ourselves and try to do an amazing recovery."

‘Nearly missing out’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-re...-rare-f1-event


2024 F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix preview: Season's final race
6 Dec 2024
Viknesh Vijayenthiran
Motor Authority

• The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the final race of the 2024 F1 season, which features a record 24 races
• Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen has already claimed the 2024 Drivers' title
• The battle for the 2024 Constructors' title is still ongoing, with McLaren in the lead
The final round of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship takes place this weekend in Abu Dhabi, but Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen was already crowned this season's champion in November at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The battle for the Constructors' title is still very much alive, with McLaren leading and Ferrari a close second.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has been held annually since 2009, always at the Hermann Tilke-designed Yas Marina Circuit, which received some minor layout changes in 2021 to improve the action. These changes provide more overtaking opportunities and also increase speeds and loads through some corners. The circuit is one where mistakes are costly, as the walls are close, making the Safety Car or a red flag frequent occurrences. The track measures 3.3 miles and features a relatively smooth surface. This, combined with a majority of flowing, high-speed corners, means stress on the tires is low.

‘Season's final race’;

https://www.motorauthority.com/news/...d-prix-preview


Abu Dhabi GP: Friday's action in pictures
06/12/2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

‘Check out our collection of pictures from Friday at the Abu Dhabi GP’;

https://f1i.com/news/526852-abu-dhab...ictures-7.html


Start time of qualifying for the 2024 F1 Abu Dhabi GP today
The qualifying session for the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix takes place today. Find out what time the qualifying starts in Abu Dhabi right here!
7 Dec 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

The F1 schedule for Abu Dhabi is automatically adjusted to your time zone.

Timetable Abu Dhabi GP
Session
Date Time
Free practice 1 Friday 6 December 10:30 - 11:30
Free practice 2 Friday 6 December 14:00 - 15:00
Free practice 3 Saturday 7 December 11:30 - 12:30
Qualification Saturday 7 December 15:00 - 16:00
Race Sunday 8 December 14:00 - 16:00

‘The F1 schedule for Abu Dhabi’;

https://racingnews365.com/start-time...dhabi-gp-today

[Fortitude]

Ferrari 'nowhere' in F1 title fight with dominant McLaren.
McLaren looks very handy in Abu Dhabi after scoring another one-two in the final practice session of the season.
7 Dec 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Charles Leclerc described Ferrari as "nowhere" after witnessing McLaren score another one-two in the final practice session of the season ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. After Lando Norris spearheaded a one-two after Friday practice, it was team-mate Piastri who instead led the way following FP3 with the quickest lap of the weekend to date, a 1:23.433s, finishing two-tenths of a second ahead.

As for Ferrari, ideally needing to score a one-two in the grand prix to put pressure on McLaren in the fight for the constructors' championship, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were fifth and ninth on the timesheet at the end of the hour-long run at the Yas Marina Circuit. The closest rivals to the McLaren duo were Lewis Hamilton in his Mercedes, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen, albeit with both four-tenths of a second adrift of Piastri's pace.

‘Charles Leclerc described Ferrari as "nowhere"’;

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-no...minant-mclaren


Abu Dhabi GP: Free Practice 3 Results
Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina.
7 Dec 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 15 1:23.433
2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 14 1:23.626 0.193
3 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 17 1:23.823 0.390
4 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 16 1:23.844 0.411
5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 20 1:23.871 0.438
6 63 George Russell Mercedes 17 1:24.075 0.642
7 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 14 1:24.093 0.660
8 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas 13 1:24.094 0.661
9 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 19 1:24.098 0.665
10 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 16 1:24.283 0.850

‘Free Practice 3 Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/abu-dhabi-gp-f...ice-3-results/


Abu Dhabi GP: Piastri and Norris keep McLaren on top in FP3
07/12/2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

McLaren bolstered its chances for qualifying at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix by topping the final practice session of the year on Saturday, with Oscar Piastri edging teammate Lando Norris by 0.193s.

There was no challenging team papaya’s contenders, with Lewis Hamilton concluding FP3 in third place, 0.193s adrift from Piastri, but ahead of the much improved Red Bull of Max Verstappen.

Ferrari’s odds of taking its elusive title fight to McLaren on Sunday took another hit, with Carlos Sainz clocking in only fifth while Charles Leclerc was a lowly ninth

‘McLaren bolstered its chances’;

https://f1i.com/news/526943-abu-dhab...op-in-fp3.html


FP3: Piastri leads Norris and Hamilton during final Abu Dhabi GP practice session
07/12/2024
Formula One - Official Site

Oscar Piastri has topped the timesheets in third and final practice ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with the Australian leading team mate Lando Norris in a McLaren one-two as the squad aim to seal the constructors’ championship on Sunday.

The drivers were again greeted by sunny and warm conditions as FP3 got under way at 1430 local time, a session that would offer a final chance to prepare for qualifying later on Saturday. Fernando Alonso was one of the first out on track, with the Aston Martin man in a positive frame of mind as he radioed in: “I think it’s going to be a good day.”

‘McLaren one-two as the squad aim to seal the constructors’ championship on Sunday’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...hyi8kgfHcdkzPD


F1 Abu Dhabi GP: Piastri leads McLaren FP3 1-2 as Ferrari is "nowhere"
Piastri and Norris topped the leaderboard as Ferrari was left "nowhere" in final practice
Dec 7, 2024
Alex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com

Oscar Piastri headed another McLaren 1-2 in third practice for Formula 1’s season finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton third and Max Verstappen fourth.

Charles Leclerc declared Ferrari “nowhere” in its battle with McLaren for the constructors’ championship, with the Monegasque driver – who will take a 10-place grid drop from wherever he qualifies later on Saturday at Yas Marina – ninth and 0.665s off the pace.

‘Piastri leads McLaren FP3 1-2’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...ort-/10680154/


'Ground running': Anthony Davidson explains why ‘benign’ McLaren trait gave them Constructors’ lead
7 Dec 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

McLaren is close to achieving their first Constructors’ Championship since the 1998 season at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Woking squad started off the season as the second-best car to Red Bull, but after making key upgrades they slowly emerged as title contenders. Lando Norris battled with Max Verstappen but a series of errors ultimately cost him a shot at the Drivers’ Championship, with the team switching focus to the Constructors.

McLaren’s ‘benign’ MCL38 has enabled them to lead Constructors’ Championship. McLaren’s rivals have often headed into weekends battling a specific problem with the car, with Red Bull notably needing to make big setup changes in Qatar that resulted in them turning around their fortunes.

Mercedes also has to often battle with problems during a weekend, having been largely puzzled as to why they were so quick in Las Vegas. Davidson has highlighted a key factor that has enabled McLaren to be consistent throughout this 24-race campaign. “Once again, McLaren comes to another circuit and it hits the ground running. That’s why, for me, it’s leading the Constructors’ Championship. It’s so benign it works pretty much everywhere for both drivers,” said Davidson.

‘Benign McLaren trait’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ant...tructors-lead/

[Fortitude]

Norris wants to defeat 'Ferrari in style' after taking pole position!
As CEO Zak Brown celebrated McLaren's one-two finish in qualifying for the Abu Dhabi GP with a giant roar on the pit wall, Lando Norris was also satisfied with taking pole position for his team.
7th Dec 2024
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

"A perfect day for us. Probably a bit tougher than we were hoping for. We are pleased with a one-two. Just a bit trickier than we would like. My lap in the end was strong. Just how we wanted to end today," the driver said immediately after jumping out of his car on the grid.

The British driver would not settle to just finish ahead of Ferrari tomorrow, he underlined. "We have to beat Ferrari but we want to do it in style. We want to win, I want to win. We know what we have to do. We are keeping our heads down and staying focused. We are here to win every race possible. Tomorrow we will have a good chance."

‘Giant roar on the pit wall’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31754...i-mclaren.html


Abu Dhabi GP: Qualifying Results
Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina.
8 Dec 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina.

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff
1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:23.682 1:23.098 1:22.595
2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:23.640 1:23.199 1:22.804 0.209
3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:23.487 1:22.985 1:22.824 0.229
4 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:23.722 1:23.040 1:22.886 0.291
5 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:23.516 1:22.998 1:22.945 0.350
6 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:23.548 1:23.086 1:22.984 0.389
7 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:23.678 1:23.283 1:23.132 0.537
8 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:23.794 1:23.268 1:23.196 0.601
9 77 Valtteri Bottas Sauber 1:23.481 1:23.341
10 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:23.559 1:23.379

‘Full results from Qualifying’;

https://speedcafe.com/abu-dhabi-gp-qualifying-results/


Norris leads all-McLaren front row, Hulkenberg beats Verstappen to fourth
2024 Abu Dhabi GP qualifying report
7th Dec 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

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. McLaren will head into the constructors’ championship deciding race with a considerable advantage over rivals Ferrari, with Sainz third and Charles Leclerc starting 19th on the grid following his ten place grid penalty after he was eliminated from Q2 in 14th.

Nico Hulkenberg is set to start fourth but is under investigation for overtaking in the pit exit road against the race director’s instructions. Max Verstappen will start fifth, with Lewis Hamilton set to start his final race for Mercedes 16th after he was eliminated from Q1 in 18th.

‘All-McLaren front row’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/12/07/...pen-to-fourth/


Disaster for Ferrari's championship's hopes as Leclerc eliminated in Q2
7th Dec 2024
Toby Nixon
GPblog.com

Charles Leclerc will start the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from last place after getting eliminated from Q2. The Monegasque exceeded track limits at turn one, which meant his lap time, which was more than good enough to get into Q3, was deleted. It's disastrous for Ferrari, who is 21 points behind McLaren in the championship battle. The Italian team need an extraordinary weekend in order to beat their rivals, but it's looking unlikely at this point.

A snap of oversteer for Charles Leclerc nearly put him in the wall in sector three. Although the Monegasque escaped unscathed, his time was only good enough for tenth place. Therefore, he took to the track once again to try and improve. He did manage to, but his lap time was deleted. With his 10-place grid penalty added on, it means that he will start from last place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in what was a disaster for Ferrari.

‘Disaster for Ferrari's championship's hopes’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31752...rand-prix.html


2024 Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying: Hamilton knocked out in Q1 after getting bollard stuck in his car
7th Dec 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

On his final flying lap in Q1 Lewis Hamilton ran over a bollard on track which got stuck in his car. The seven-time champ was then unable to set a quick enough time to get through to Q2 and was knocked out in P18.

‘Bollard stuck in his car’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/20...95625095234739


‘Ouch’: Lewis Hamilton sparks instant 14-word reaction from Martin Brundle to Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying shocker
7 Dec 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Lewis Hamilton will start his final race for Mercedes from his lowest-ever grid spot for an Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after only registering the 18th fastest time during qualifying. Martin Brundle issues ‘ouch’ reaction to Lewis Hamilton’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying. Hamilton was up on his delta time entering the last sector of the Yas Marina Circuit while he pushed for a place in Q2. But Haas’ Kevin Magnussen flicked a bollard onto the racing line as the Dane tried to get out of the Mercedes star’s way at the end of the first part of qualifying.

Magnussen made extreme measures to try to prevent impeding Hamilton and cut the inside kerb at Turn 14. But, in doing so, he clipped the bollard intended to prevent exceeding track limits. It got wedged under Hamilton’s skid block, ruining the aero balance of his Mercedes’. “Ouch, where did that pace go?” Brundle said on Sky Sports F1 (07/12, 14:19). “He looked really fast through the practice sessions.”


“Ouch, where did that pace go? He looked really fast through the practice sessions”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lew...fying-shocker/