Right here is our full textual content transcript from the ultimate spherical of the 2024 Formulation 1 marketing campaign, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix:
Welcome to our stay protection of the ultimate race of what has been an exciting 2024 Formulation 1 season. Max Verstappen has already wrapped up the drivers’ title, however that leaves all eyes on McLaren as they try to seal a primary Constructors’ Championship triumph since 1998. They couldn’t be higher positioned to try this, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri having sealed a front-row lockout with McLaren holding a 21-point lead over Ferrari.
It is also a little bit of a tear-jerker immediately, with a number of farewells happening. The massive one is Lewis Hamilton driving in his ultimate race for Mercedes forward of his transfer to Ferrari after 12 seasons with the Silver Arrows. An fascinating alternative of clothes for Lewis Hamilton as he arrived for his ultimate race for Mercedes. Some would possibly name the shade of his outfit ‘Ferrari purple’, forward of his transfer to the Italian squad subsequent season.
Sky Sports activities F1’s Martin Brundle on the front-row-starting McLarens because the crew bid to shut out the Constructors’ Championship:
“They’ve a 21-point benefit of their pocket as properly so, if push involves shove, they’ll simply comply with Ferrari house and nonetheless take the title. Everybody I’ve spoken to at McLaren immediately have been like ‘nothing to see right here, let’s give attention to the now and never an hour or two or three hours from now’. That’s precisely the suitable strategy for them. The one factor that may cease McLaren profitable the constructors’ title immediately is an issue – contact or an issue for his or her automobiles.”
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, ranging from P19: “Enjoyable – I don’t know if it’s the phrase. It will have been extra enjoyable in entrance. It’s a really troublesome job immediately, however I’ll do every little thing to attempt to make the miracle occur. That’s we have to have immediately, a miracle.”
All the front-runners have saved two units of laborious tyres as they anticipate a a number of cease race. Mercedes selected to “scrub” one in every of their laborious units in Qualifying for higher tyre warm-up. A one-stop is feasible however a two-stop race is prone to be sooner, except you handle your tyres very properly. Perhaps we are going to see groups splitting technique…
The entire subject are on mediums aside from Lewis Hamilton, who begins the race on the laborious tyre. That might recommend the Mercedes driver goes to look to go lengthy and maybe hope for a Security Automotive to assist him out. You could possibly argue he’s owed one thing like that at this explicit circuit…
We’re racing in Abu Dhabi!
Lando Norris will get away properly however Max Verstappen touches Oscar Piastri they usually each spin on the first nook! Norris leads from Carlos Sainz however Verstappen is all the way down to 14th and Piastri is final!
Lap 1/58: That is chaos! Sergio Perez has spun too, which permits Charles Leclerc to achieve one other place. The Ferrari is as much as eighth from nineteenth on the grid – and the Constructors’ Championship battle is really alive! Lewis Hamilton, in the meantime, is as much as twelfth, a spot behind Max Verstappen.
Lap 2/58: Sergio Perez involves a halt within the ultimate sector and now we have a Digital Security Automotive. Norris leads from Sainz, Gasly, Russell and Hulkenberg. What a high 5.
Lap 3/58: The Digital Security Automotive ends and we’re again to inexperienced flag racing. George Russell tries to go across the exterior of Pierre Gasly into Flip Eight however can’t get by.
Lap 4/58: Extra bother for Piastri! He’s pushed into the again of Franco Colapinto, apparently underneath the VSC. Colapinto has bought a puncture, and Piastri wants to come back in for a brand new entrance wing.
Max Verstappen has been given a 10-second time penalty for inflicting a collision with Oscar Piastri on the primary lap. Valtteri Bottas additionally has the identical penalty for hitting Sergio Perez.
Lap 5/58: Oscar Piastri didn’t want a brand new entrance wing ultimately, however slightly a brand new set of tyres. He comes out 25 seconds behind Seventeenth-placed Jack Doohan. Franco Colapinto is an additional 35 seconds behind Piastri.
Lap 8/58: Lando Norris is three seconds forward of Carlos Sainz and searching sturdy. Pierre Gasly is one other 4 seconds again, maintaining George Russell behind him.
Lap 9/58: Max Verstappen is targeted on making a comeback of his personal. The world champion additionally makes simple work of getting previous Kevin Magnussen and is as much as eighth.
Lap 9/58: Charles Leclerc needs to be affected person however finally outfoxes Fernando Alonso to maneuver as much as sixth. Nico Hulkenberg is subsequent for the Ferrari.
Lap 12/58: There’s no stopping Charles Leclerc! He will get up the within of Nico Hulkenberg and is now into fifth. He must be cautious although as a result of he’s one observe limits violation away from a penalty.
Lap 13/58: Max Verstappen’s newest overtake is on Fernando Alonso, who is aware of the Purple Bull driver is way faster. Verstappen is in seventh and now chasing Nico Hulkenberg.
Lap 14/58: Nico Hulkenberg and Fernando Alonso have stopped on the finish of lap 13. That’s useful for Lewis Hamilton, who has cleared Liam Lawson and is now working behind Max Verstappen in seventh with some clear air.
Lap 14/58: Lando Norris has a pleasant cushion over Carlos Sainz on the entrance. McLaren nonetheless can’t afford any slip ups for Norris, significantly with each Ferraris within the high 5.
Lap 16/58: Max Verstappen says he “can’t brake” as a result of his tyres are getting “means too sizzling”. The world champion is working fifth in the intervening time however it appears like he would possibly have to cease quickly!
Lap 17/58: Charles Leclerc is inside one second of George Russell as he seems to be to get onto the rostrum. Pierre Gasly is being held up by Yuki Tsunoda, which is nice information for Russell and Leclerc.
Lap 19/58: Lewis Hamilton beginning on the hards is offering good info for the remainder of the sector. Hamilton isn’t precisely flying in sixth place, so the leaders are attempting to stretch this stint on the mediums, maybe excited about a one-stop race. Pierre Gasly is the primary of the drivers to pit, in eighth place and appears to be on a two-stop. Norris leads by 4 seconds from Sainz.
Lap 21/58: Into the pits comes Charles Leclerc as he tries to undercut George Russell. He’s onto the laborious tyres and emerges behind Pierre Gasly in eighth place, with some clear air forward.
Lap 22/58: Mercedes have chosen not to answer Charles Leclerc’s pit cease. George Russell stays out for now whereas Leclerc closes in on Pierre Gasly for what would be the internet podium.
Lap 23/58: Lando Norris is maintaining his lead over Carlos Sainz at about 4 seconds. That’s a vital hole which provides him and McLaren time to answer no matter Ferrari resolve to do with Sainz. If Sainz can get nearer, the undercut might change into an choice.
Lap 24/58: Yuki Tsunoda, having been informed to remain out by RB, is handed by each Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc within the house of about 20 seconds. That places them as much as P6 and P7, however Leclerc will likely be hoping to clear the Alpine as rapidly as potential.
Lap 25/58: Charles Leclerc does overtake Pierre Gasly into the chicane, which places him successfully into third place. George Russell is staying on the market, saying he can preserve his tempo.
Lap 25/58: Oh expensive! Liam Lawson stops however his left-front isn’t fitted accurately and he has to come back again in a lap later to get it placed on correctly. There’s in all probability going to be insult added to harm, with a penalty possible for sending the automotive out in an unsafe situation. That’s Lawson’s night ruined.
Lap 26/58: Carlos Sainz pits from second place and comes again out in third on the laborious tyres. We predict McLaren will reply to this with Lando Norris.
Lap 27/58: McLaren ship underneath strain! It’s a speedy two-second cease for Lando Norris, which retains him a few seconds away from Carlos Sainz.
Lap 29/58: Lewis Hamilton is progressively closing in on his previous mate Max Verstappen. The hole between third and fourth is underneath three seconds, with Verstappen doing fairly properly to maintain hanging on to his medium tyres. Hamilton has simply been informed over the radio that P3 is attainable for him this afternoon – what a comeback that will be!
Lap 30/58: Max Verstappen serves his 10-second time penalty for hitting Oscar Piastri on the primary lap, earlier than the crew get to work. Verstappen is again out in eleventh.
Lap 32/58: Oh no, two drivers who will likely be out of F1 after immediately conflict at Flip 6. Valtteri Bottas merely spears into the facet of Kevin Magnussen, who spins round. Bottas limps again to the pit lane however retires from the race.
Lap 33/58: Oscar Piastri has made his second cease of the race, and served his 10-second penalty whereas doing so. That brings him again out in P15. He’s bought some work to do to attain any factors right here.
Lap 35/58: He will get maybe a ultimate name of “Hammer-time” from Bono, and with that Lewis Hamilton is into the pits. He crucially emerges simply in entrance of Fernando Alonso in P7, and is free to chase down the automobiles in entrance of him on his contemporary medium tyres.
Lap 39/58: Lando Norris is 3.5 seconds forward of Carlos Sainz as he continues to lap barely faster than the Ferrari driver. Norris is doing every little thing completely in the intervening time.
Lap 40/58: Oscar Piastri overtakes Lance Stroll to take 14th place however is 13 seconds away from the points-paying positions, which is presently held by Zhou Guanyu. A lap later, he will get by Jack Doohan. Piastri on a cost!
Lap 40/58: McLaren need to be prepared for something!
Lando Norris is requested whether or not he can be assured of passing Carlos Sainz on contemporary tyres within the occasion the Ferrari was to remain out – almost certainly underneath a Security Automotive. Norris says he’s, however McLaren will hope there are not any extra stops right here! Lewis Hamilton will get Nico Hulkenberg into Flip 6. Subsequent up the highway is Pierre Gasly in fifth place.
Lap 45/58: Lando Norris’ benefit over Carlos Sainz is 5 seconds. McLaren would be the champions because it stands, however Norris should win.
Lap 46/58: Max Verstappen goes down the within of Pierre Gasly into Flip 8 and is into sixth place.
Lap 47/58: Charles Leclerc is informed over the radio to get again into his “rhythm”, however doesn’t discover the instruction very useful. He responds slightly sarcastically by saying that what he’s doing in the intervening time is the rhythm.
Lap 49/58: Oscar Piastri hangs it across the exterior of Yuki Tsunoda and makes the move stick. He has a five-second hole to shut on Fernando Alonso to attain an insurance coverage level for McLaren.
Lap 52/58: Lando Norris has stretched his lead out entrance to nearly six seconds. The McLaren man seems to be as if he’s going to convey this house for his crew immediately.
Lap 54/58: Oscar Piastri eases previous Alex Albon and is into the factors. It’s been a reasonably torrid night for the Australian however he’s salvaged some extent for McLaren. That solely strengthens their grip on the constructors’ title.
Lap 56/58: Charles Leclerc is informed that Carlos Sainz is 7.5 seconds behind Lando Norris. Leclerc’s response is a phrase we can not repeat, however it wasn’t good.
Lap 57/58: His lead over Sainz is as much as eight seconds.
Lando Norris wins the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which suggests McLaren take the Constructors’ Championship title for the primary time since 1998. Carlos Sainz crosses the road 5.8 seconds behind and Charles Leclerc is third.
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