After 23 races it all comes down to this. It’s been the longest season in the Formula One’s history, but we’re going to miss it when it’s finished. So, it’s time to savour the last race of 2024, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
After the unstoppable 2023 season, it’s been a tough year for the Bulls, but Max has shown that he can maximise the results even when the odds are stacked against him. After wrapping up the Drivers’ Title, he’s going to enjoy the season finale of 2024.
Last year Max won his fourth Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and took the Team’s season total to 21 wins and 30 podiums. It’s not just Max who’s done amazing things in Abu Dhabi, in 2010 Sebastian Vettel and the Team took their first double championship win, and there were so many tears over the radio as Seb crossed that finish line. With all these great memories it’s the perfect way to finish the season – under the lights of the UAE.
Formula One first raced at the Yas Marina Circuit in 2009 after it was built as part of the $40billion project to develop Yas Island into a tourist hub for the region. The day-to-night race has been on the calendar ever since, and apart from three years, it’s been the season finale.
The track’s 1.2km straight is the dominating feature of the circuit, book-ended by the slow-speed turns five and six that give drivers a good run out of turn five and provide overtaking galore. Turns 10 through to 12 require the drivers’ full concentration and is hard on their body as they try to scrub off speed to take the tricky corners.
The circuit runs anticlockwise and has 16 turns in total, nine left-handers and seven right. The drivers are expected to be at full throttle for 63% of the lap and make an estimated 56 gear changes per rotation. The race is 58 laps of the 5.281km track and the current lap record is held by Max, he set a time of 1:26.103 in 2021.
For the last time this season, Max and Checo will be on track for Free Practice One. That starts on Friday at 13:30 track time (09:30UTC). Make sure you keep checking back here for the latest results, news, images and interviews with the Bulls.
