F1 will close its longest season ever organized so far with 24 races contested. This Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be the 16th edition of this race contested at dusk.
The Yas Marina route in Abu Dhabi (in French in the text) is the only race which has the particularity of starting in broad daylight, experiencing dusk and finally finishing under the spotlights at nightfall.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Grand Prix times (French time)
Friday December 6
EL1 : 10h30 – 11h30
EL2: 14h00 – 15h00
Saturday December 7
EL3: 11h30 – 12h30
Qualifying: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday December 8
Grand Prix: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
The circuit
A telegenic spectacle, whose layout revolves around phases of acceleration and braking (less since the new layout), punctuated by two long straight lines which will be the DRS zones, arbitrated by a chicane. The Yas Marina route has the particularity of having an anti-clockwise direction (like in Brazil), with a total length of 5,281m, it is made up of 16 bends with almost similar appearances, as the tour of the marina is made like a punctuated turnstile.
Neither the exit from the pit lane under a tunnel, nor the hotel spanning the track nor the last sector bathed in Yachts could give it more driving challenges. Like a go-kart track, there are still three very distinct sectors.
The first is already crucial for the lap time with turns 2 and 3 where the peak speed and agility of the cars stand out. The second sector is made up of two chicanes and two long straights, this is the main contrast with the rest of the route.
The technical challenge is in the adjustment of the single-seaters, punctuated by nightfall during the race which causes a drop of almost 15°C in the tarmac. The final sector is by far the most technical and perilous, made up of tight turns, it is essential to enter all the correct trajectories! The route has been completely revised in 2021 with new hairpin bends to break the braking-acceleration effects, the lap time is faster.
Some anecdotes
- This is the 16th edition of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The inaugural race of 2009 was won by Sebastian Vettel then at Red Bull Racing.
- In addition to his inaugural victory in 2009, Vettel also won in 2010 and 2013. Lewis Hamilton won there in 2011 for McLaren-Mercedes, then with Mercedes in 2014 to seal his second world title. He won the 2016 edition in vain, it was Nico Rosberg who was crowned World Champion, he will add two other victories in 2018 and 2019. Kimi Räikkönen triumphed in 2012 at the wheel of a Lotus-Renault, Nico Rosberg in 2015 for Mercedes. Max Verstappen won in 2020 but the one that everyone remembers is 2021 which will seal his first coronation. He will add victories in 2022 and 2023.
- The race crowned the youngest F1 World Champion driver: Sebastian Vettel at the age of 23. In 2010, he had never led the world championship, was the challenger of Mark Webber, his teammate at Red Bull, as well as Fernando Alonso at Ferrari. In 2014, the title went to Lewis Hamilton against Nico Rosberg, the Mercedes duellists in the only F1 race where the points were doubled.
- While it was the Grand Prix for the last time in 2018 with Fernando Alonso who retired from F1, Stoffel Vandoorne who will drive in Formula E. Daniel Ricciardo will also say goodbye to Red Bull, Esteban Ocon was absent in 2019, Kimi Räikkönen will no longer drive for Ferrari. Marcus Ericsson will join IndyCar, Sergey Sirtokin was not renewed at Williams. Brendon Hartley will also leave the sport and Lance Stroll will leave Williams. Red Bull Racing and Renault divorce.
- In 2022, it was also farewell for: Sebastian Vettel who is ending his career! Daniel Ricciardo leaves McLaren and returns to Red Bull, Mick Schumacher is ousted from Haas and finds himself without a wheel for 2023. Fernando Alonso leaves Alpine to join Aston Martin. Pierre Gasly leaves the Red Bull fold to join Alpine F1 Team.
Pirelli tires
As usual, a final act will take place after the final race: a day of testing, still in Abu Dhabi, on December 10, with a two-part program. Each team will field two cars: one for young drivers using the 2024 tires and the other to test final versions of next year's tires.
DRS zones
Pirelli will bring its trio of softest rubbers, namely C3 for Hard, C4 for Medium and finally C5 for Soft. The two DRS zones are located in the two straight lines, there are also two detection lines. The first is located before turn 5 for activation after this new turn 5. The second detection located after the chicane, i.e. 50m after turn 7 and put into practice at turn 8.
The 2024 driver rankings
1 – Max Verstappen : 429 pts
2 – Lando Norris : 349 pts
3 – Charles Leclerc : 341 pts
4 – Oscar Piastri: 291 pts
5 – Carlos Sainz : 272 pts
6 – George Russell : 235 pts
7 – Lewis Hamilton : 211 pts
8 – Sergio Pérez: 152 pts
9 – Fernando Alonso : 68 pts
10 – Nico Hulkenberg: 37 pts
The 2024 ranking of manufacturers
1 – McLaren : 640 pts
2 – Ferrari : 619 pts
3 – Red Bull Racing : 581 pts
4 – Mercedes : 446 pts
5 – Aston Martin-Mercedes : 92 pts
6 – Alpine : 59 pts
7 – Haas : 54 pts
8 – Racing Bulls : 46 pts
9 – Williams : 17 pts
10 – Stake : 4 pts
