Much to Play for in Abu Dhabi as Curtain Down on F1 Season
After 24 races spread over 40 weeks, Formula 1’s 2024 season will draw to its conclusion at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday. Max Verstappen may have been crowned World Champion in Las Vegas, but there is plenty to play for, with the World Constructors’ Championship going down to the wire.
Max Verstappen will be saying goodbye to Sergio Perez as his teammate this weekend. © Mark Thompson, Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
The protagonists for the title are current leaders McLaren and Ferrari. Twenty-one points separate the pair, with McLaren ahead. And while the Italian team has not taken the prize in 16 years, McLaren last claimed the title in 1998. From a commercial standpoint, millions are at stake, and the prize money paid by Formula 1 can be measured using a similar metric.
A Ferrari 1-2 Might Not Do
The UK’s best online betting sites rate Ferrari’s chances of taking the title on 11/2. Racing around a circuit likely to work to the strengths of the underdogs, the bookmakers’ odds may appear generous. However, Ferrari’s second and sixth netted 26 points last weekend, while McLaren scored just nine fewer points with a third and tenth.
Furthermore, a 1-2 finish for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz (with one of the pair claiming a World Championship point for the fastest lap) will only guarantee a 17-point swing in their team’s favour.
Eyes should not be exclusively trained on the McLaren/Ferrari battle. Only four points separate Alpine and Haas in their fight for sixth in the standings. Formula 1 does not divulge its prizemoney, but £7 million is thought to be the difference between the two positions.
F1 Drivers to Duel Over Cash Rewards in Abu Dhabi
With clauses in their contract providing bonuses for scoring points, finishing on the podium, winning, and overall finishing position in the drivers’ championship, many drivers will be financially incentivised to perform at their best this Sunday.
Consequently, another interesting battle could be between Nico Hulkenberg, who sits tenth in the World Drivers’ Championship standings, and Pierre Gasly, who trails his rival by a single point. Yuki Tsunoda is currently twelfth, another six points adrift.
Yuki Tsunoda has more than one reason for being at the top of his game. Media reports suggest he has an outside chance of gaining a race seat at Red Bull, with the Express stating Red Bull shareholders are meeting on Monday, 09.12, to discuss Max Verstappen’s teammate for the 2025 season.
Sergio Perez to Bow Out Under Abu Dhabi Desert Lights
The vacant seat at Red Bull results from the Milton Keynes-based team dropping Sergio Perez. The Mexican has not been officially sacked, but reputable media outlets have widely reported his impending exit.
Questioned about Perez’s future by Sky Sports F1 on Sunday – after the driver failed to finish in the points for a fourth successive race – team boss Christian Horner said: “I’m going to let Checo (Perez) come to his own conclusions; nobody’s forcing him one way or another. It’s not a nice situation for him to obviously be in.”
For his part, Perez, who was given a contract extension to run until the end of 2026 in June when he spoke of making a challenge for the 2025 World Drivers’ Championship, has consistently maintained he would be on the starting grid next year and driving a Red Bull.
Heading into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the stats show Perez has led just one race lap in 2025. His World Championship-winning teammate, Max Verstappen, has led 560. Similarly, Verstappen has won nine races during the season. Perez has not finished better than sixth in his last 17 starts.
Formula 1’s Game of Musical Chairs Begins
Adding to the excitement of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the onset of a game of musical chairs for drivers. Lewis Hamilton will make his final start for Mercedes before driving for Ferrari in 2025. The British champion will replace Carlos Sainz, who is heading to Williams.
Nico Hülkenberg is on the move (to Sauber), so Haas will use his services for the final time on Sunday. The German’s replacement is Esteban Ocon, who made his final start for Alpine last week and left the door open for the French team’s new driver, Jack Doohan, to make his F1 race debut on Sunday.
Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu and Kevin Magnussen are expected to make their final Formula 1 appearances on Sunday, with Oliver Bearman taking Magnussen’s seat in 2025. Franco Colapinto – who replaced Logan Sargeant at Williams after the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix – is without a 2025 race seat but is predicted to return in 2026.
