Max finishes sixth in Abu Dhabi: 'Happy the season is over'

Published on 08 December 2024 by Misha van der Kroon

Max Verstappen ends the season with a sixth place in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. After a collision with Oscar Piastri on the first lap, the four-time World Champion faced an uphill battle to climb back through the field. Lando Norris won the final race of the 2024-season, leading McLaren to its first Constructors' Championship since 1998.

“I’m happy the season is over. The race itself was very boring for me. After the first corner, things got more difficult, but overall, we just didn’t have the speed. The start was good. I wanted to get alongside but realised quickly that the gap was too tight. I tried to steer out of it and go over the curb, but it was already too late. It’s never ideal to make contact, but it is what it is,” Max said after the race. The penalty he got for that incident didn’t change the race result. During the race, the World Champion expressed his frustration with overheating tyres. “We had no balance. I couldn’t attack or brake properly. I think we just weren’t in the right operating window with the tyres.”

“I’m glad it’s done and that I don’t have to drive anymore this year. Winning the championship is, of course, the most important thing, but it hasn’t been the nicest year in terms of driving. The balance was never really there. It needs to be better, and we know that. We’ll make some adjustments to the car, and hopefully, we’ll be more competitive next season.” Max ended on a positive note, looking forward to the offseason: “First, I’m going to enjoy a nice break and not think about Formula 1 for a while. Of course, you stay in touch with your engineer, but it’s nice to go on vacation and take some time off.”

Max has a great start when the lights go green. He immediately overtakes Carlos Sainz, and in turn one he attempts an overtake on Oscar Piastri but contact between the two send both cars into a spin. Max manages a remarkable 360-degree recovery and rejoins the race in 11th. Shortly after, the stewards hand him a ten-second time penalty for the incident. Max’ teammate at Oracle Red Bull Racing, Sergio Perez, also has a turbulent start. The Mexican driver collides with Valtteri Bottas in the opening lap and is forced to retire. A Virtual Safety Car is deployed to clear Perez’s car. Norris leads the race at the end of lap one, followed by Sainz and Gasly.

The VSC ends on lap three, and Max quickly seizes the opportunity to overtake Liam Lawson, moving into tenth. Over the next several laps, the four-time World Champion makes steady progress, passing Lance Stroll, Kevin Magnussen, and Fernando Alonso. Thanks to pit stops from Gasly and Hulkenberg, Max is in fifth place by lap eighteen. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc, starting from 19th, is also battling his way through the field and reaches George Russell, who is in P3. The Monegasque however cannot go for an overtake on the Brit, as the Ferrari team calls him into the pits on lap 21. He rejoins behind Gasly.

Max pits on lap 30, serving his ten-second penalty and switching to hard tyres. He rejoins in 11th and quickly reclaims a spot in the top ten by overtaking Stroll on lap 32. With 26 laps remaining, Norris maintains his lead ahead of Sainz, Hamilton, Leclerc, and Russell. Hamilton, however, still has to do the mandatory pit stop. Bottas's race comes to an early end. When Magnussen tries to overtake Bottas, the Finnish driver locks up and collides with the Dane. He manages to get back to the pits, but his car is too damaged to continue.

On lap 35, Hamilton pits for medium tyres, rejoining in seventh, just ahead of Alonso and Verstappen. A lap later, Max overtakes Alonso for eighth and begins chasing down the cars ahead. On lap 44, he passes Nico Hulkenberg, and two laps later he overtakes Gasly and climbs to P6. That is also where he finishes the race, in sixth place, concluding the season with 437 championship points. Lando Norris wins the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and, alongside Piastri, seals the Constructors' Championship for McLaren. Sainz and Leclerc complete the podium. Hamilton passes Mercedes teammate Russell in the final lap, and the Mercedes duo finishes fourth and fifth.

Results Grand Prix Abu-dhabi: