What an End to an Unforgettable Season: Abu Dhabi GP 2024 Recap

The Yas Marina Circuit delivered once again, hosting a thrilling end to the 2024 Formula 1 season. This year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix had everything: a dominant win, dramatic incidents, emotional goodbyes, and history-making moments, a fitting end to a season no one could've predicted. 

Let’s break down the highlights of a race that will be remembered for years to come.

Lando Norris Secures McLaren's First Constructors’ Title Since 1998

Starting from pole position, Lando Norris dominated the race. From the very first lap, Norris displayed masterful control, leading the race from start to finish, his second time winning from pole position. This victory marked his fourth win of the season and helped McLaren clinch their first Constructors’ Championship since 1998. An extraordinary achievement for both the driver and the team.

Everyone can agree that today was the papaya's day despite Oscar's unfortunate accident.

Lap 1 Drama Between Verstappen and Piastri

The opening lap saw chaos unfold as Max Verstappen, starting P4, collided with Oscar Piastri, who began the race in P2. The contact dropped Piastri to the back of the field in P20, while Verstappen continued after recovering from spinning around, and quite an impressive recovery might I add but nothing new to Verstappen, but he received a 10-second penalty for causing the incident. Despite the setback, Piastri delivered an inspiring recovery drive to finish P10 and secure a point. Post-race, Piastri revealed that Verstappen had apologized,  and all is good between the drivers.

Leclerc’s Phenomenal Comeback Drive

Charles Leclerc was the star of the day. Starting from P19 after receiving a 10-place grid penalty during FP1, the Monegasque driver gained an incredible 11 positions on the first lap alone. With clinical overtakes and impressive strategy, he climbed all the way to P3, claiming the final step on the podium behind his teammate Carlos Sainz. Leclerc’s performance earned him a well-deserved Driver of the Day award, a fitting tribute to his skill and determination.

Charles gave this race his all, along with Carlos to earn their team that championship title, however, Lando's win made that impossible and the team ended up 2nd in the championship, but well for Ferrari, there's always next year.

Emotional Farewells at the season finale

This race was bittersweet, as fans and the paddock said goodbye to several drivers. Zhou Guanyu, Kevin Magnussen, and Valtteri Bottas drove their final races, while Sergio Pérez's future remains uncertain despite holding a seat for next year. Bottas, an often-underestimated talent, deserved a better ending to his remarkable career, which now closes with a DNF, but who knows, maybe this won't be the end for him after all.

Team and Driver Transitions

The 2024 Abu Dhabi GP also marked the end of partnerships and the start of new chapters. Nico Hülkenberg will move from Haas to Sauber, and Esteban Ocon will transition from Alpine to Haas. Carlos Sainz bid farewell to Ferrari with an incredible P2 finish, a fitting end to his time with the iconic team before joining Williams next year, with 4 wins in his pocket.

The End of an Era: Hamilton and Mercedes Part Ways

The Abu Dhabi GP marked Lewis Hamilton's final race for Mercedes after an extraordinary 12-year partnership. Over 246 races, Hamilton secured six titles, 153 podiums, and 84 wins for the team, the most successful partnership in F1 history as together they won every title there is to win and broke more records than I can count. Today, starting from P18, Hamilton delivered a remarkable performance to finish P4, showcasing the determination and brilliance that defined his time with Mercedes, and the talent and passion he has for the sport as he gave his all in his final race with a team that defined his career. Next year, he begins a new chapter with Ferrari, leaving fans eager to see what lies ahead.

And let's be honest, we all want to see how Lewis will look in RED.

A Race to Remember

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024 gave us a thrilling conclusion to an unforgettable season. From Norris’s flawless win to the emotional goodbyes and transitions, this race had it all. As we turn the page on this chapter, we’re left with excitement and anticipation for what 2025 will bring.

And if there's one thing I learned from this season is that everything can happen in F1 and everything can change at any point of the season, this season truly didn't disappoint, and what can I wish for more than a matching 2025 season that will shock us from day one like this season did.