An action-packed season, which saw one of the most competitive Drivers’ title fights in recent F1 history, with the Constructors’ title still up for grabs, now heads into the final race—the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Ahead of the final race of the year, here are our race preview and predictions.
With the fastest car on the grid, McLaren’s Lando Norris had the season in the palm of his hands at one point for the majority of the season, but he bottled it on multiple occasions and allowed a cool, calm Max Verstappen to secure his fourth World Title.
Despite Verstappen starting strongly, Norris and McLaren had managed to hit back and soon were on top, but even with the better machinery the young Brit couldn’t dissuade Verstappen, whose stellar drives, especially in Brazil, all but locked his title for a fourth consecutive year.
That said, McLaren have been in contention for all of the races this time round, and with the Constructors’ championship still on the line, count on the Woking-based team to come out all guns blazing at Abu Dhabi to secure their first Constructors’ title since 1998.
Pole Position prediction: Lando Norris / Charles Leclerc
Race Winners prediction: McLaren / Ferrari
To say that it’s been a rough season for Sergio Pérez would be an understatement. The Red Bull driver has been woefully out of form, far from the fight at the front of the grid and having almost singlehandedly taken Red Bull out of the Constructors’ tussle.
While Verstappen has gone on to secure his fourth World Title, Pérez lies eighth in the Drivers’ Standings with 152 points, 277 points behind his teammate. The Mexican has three points finishes in the last seven races as Red Bull sit 59 points behind McLaren in the Constructors’ Standings.
Pérez started the season strong, taking four podiums in the opening five races, but it’s been downhill since then. Even his team boss, Christian Horner, has stated that Pérez’s poor form has cost the team.
The 34-year-old is rumoured to be on his way out, with the Red Bull management apparently having had enough and looking at a younger replacement. Should the Abu Dhabi race be his final F1 race, however, count on Pérez to go out strongly.
Dark horse prediction: Sergio Pérez
Alpine’s Esteban Ocon was set to join Haas after this season, but in a surprising turn of events the French team released him ahead of the Abu Dhabi race and brought in Jack Doohan, who was originally set to replace Ocon next season onward.
Ocon has been released early so that he can “participate in the post-season test with Haas,” as per the French team. The Frenchman has been their most successful driver in the last couple of seasons, though, having handed them a surprise win in Hungary in 2021 and a stunning P2 in Brazil.
A late resurgence from Alpine has seen them leap-frog VCARB and Haas in the Constructors’ fight for P6. They are now five points clear of Haas. With the battle set to go down to the wire, Ocon’s surprise departure may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Haas, who know that a less-experienced Doohan will have a mountain to climb in the final race, meaning they have the advantage to steal away the P6 spot right at the death.
Circuit: Yas Marina Circuit
Venue: Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Practice Session 1 time: 15:00, December 6
Practice Session 2 time: 18:30, December 6
Practice Session 3 time: 16:00, December
Qualifying time: 19:30, December 7
Main race time: 18:30, December 8
Where to watch: F1 TV Pro / FanCode
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