F1 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix starting grid with penalties applied..

F1 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix starting grid with penalties applied…..read more

The provisional starting grid for the 2024 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has been officially confirmed following a late penalty decision from the stewards. This marks the 24th and final round of the 2024 F1 season, which takes place at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. The race holds significant importance, particularly in the constructors’ championship battle between McLaren and Ferrari, as the title fight is still undecided. Heading into this final race, Ferrari trails McLaren by 21 points in the standings, making this race crucial for both teams. At the same time, other positions in the constructors’ standings are also yet to be determined, with teams aiming to maximize their points haul.

Although the constructors’ championship remains up for grabs, the drivers’ championship has already been decided. Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, despite intense competition from McLaren’s Lando Norris throughout the season. Verstappen’s title victory, confirmed in Las Vegas, was a significant milestone in his career, but it also means he heads into the Abu Dhabi GP with no pressure on his title bid. However, Verstappen will start the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in fifth position, well behind Norris, who secured pole position with an impressive qualifying performance. Norris’ teammate, Oscar Piastri, also enjoyed a strong result by qualifying second, just 0.209 seconds behind Norris. This sets the stage for an exciting McLaren front-row lockout at the start of the race.

The third spot on the grid will be occupied by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who qualified 0.229 seconds slower than Norris. Verstappen will start in fourth, 0.350 seconds behind the pole-sitter. Pierre Gasly, representing Alpine, will start from fifth, with a time 0.389 seconds behind Norris, while Mercedes driver George Russell takes the sixth spot, 0.537 seconds adrift of the pole time.

The rest of the top ten includes Nico Hulkenberg of Haas in seventh, despite a three-place grid penalty for overtaking at the pit exit during qualifying. Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin will line up eighth, followed by Valtteri Bottas of Sauber in ninth. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez rounds out the top ten, with a 0.669-second gap to Norris.

Beyond the top ten, several other notable drivers will take their positions. Yuki Tsunoda of AlphaTauri starts in eleventh, with Liam Lawson, also from AlphaTauri, starting in twelfth. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll will be in thirteenth, while Haas driver Kevin Magnussen takes the fourteenth position. Alex Albon of Williams starts fifteenth, with Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu behind him in sixteenth. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who has been an ever-present force in the sport, will start in seventeenth, and Franco Colapinto from Williams starts eighteenth.

The final two positions on the grid will be occupied by Alpine’s Jack Doohan in nineteenth and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in twentieth. Leclerc’s grid penalty is a result of exceeding the allowed allocation of energy store components for the season, which resulted in a ten-place penalty. Despite his strong season, Leclerc’s penalty means he will start at the back of the grid for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday, December 8, 2024, and the race will kick off at 5:00 PM local time (Gulf Standard Time, GST). For viewers around the world, the race will begin at 2:00 PM Central European Time (CET), 1:00 PM in the United Kingdom (GMT), 8:00 AM Eastern Standard Time (EST), 7:00 AM Central Standard Time (CST), and 5:00 AM Pacific Standard Time (PST). This race, marking the end of the 2024 F1 season, is set to offer thrilling action as McLaren and Ferrari battle it out for the constructors’ title, while drivers like Norris, Verstappen, and Sainz vie for victory in one of the most exciting races of the year.