Just one qualifying session remains in the 2024 Formula 1 season.
But everything is on the line today at Yas Marina.
The season concludes with this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but the F1 Constructors’ Championship hangs in the balance. McLaren enters the weekend with a 21-point advantage over Ferrari in the standings, and one could make the case that they are on favorable footing heading into Saturday. Not only did both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri impress during Friday’s dual practice sessions — Norris was second-fastest in FP1, and topped the timing sheets in FP2 with Piastri right behind him — but Charles Leclerc is taking a ten-place grid penalty for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after Ferrari installed a new Energy Store (ES) on his SF-24, exceeding the two allowed for in the Sporting Regulations without penalty.
Still, anything can happen when the lap times count for real, and this season, anything has happened. As such, we’ll be following along with all the action from Abu Dhabi live. So check back early and often as the final qualifying session of the 2024 F1 season unfolds starting at 9:00 a.m. Eastern.
All updates are in Eastern time.
10:10: “A perfect day for us,” begins Norris with James Hinchcliffe trackside. “Just how we want it to end today.
“We gotta beat Ferrari,” continues Norris. “We’ll be giving it everything we’ve got.”
10:09: Here are the top ten:
10:04: It is a McLaren front row lockout! Norris takes pole position and Piastri will be alongside him! McLaren inch closer to their first Constructors’ Championship since 1998.
10:03: Hülkenberg was on provisional pole, but Piastri immediately pips him for that spot.
10:02: Under two minutes remaining in the final qualifying session of the season. Buckle up.
9:59: And now Piastri’s time has been reinstated, and he slots into third.
Going into the final push laps the top five are: Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Sainz, and Hülkenberg.
9:57: After the initial push laps in Q3, Verstappen is on provisional pole with Norris in P2, just 0.004 seconds behind Verstappen.
Piastri was set to be third but saw his lap time deleted due to exceeding track limits at Turn 1.
9:55: Incredible moment as Verstappen snaps wildly coming out of the final turn and looks as if he will put his RB20 in the wall, but still manages to post the fastest time so far in Q3.
9:53: David Coulthard compares Piastri to “Sleepy,” one of the Seven Dwarfs, which gives me a moment to make a few recommendations. First, we saw Moana 2 last night, and it was a lovely movie. Second, the preview for the upcoming Snow White made that movie look good as well, and third: Having spent some time at Walt Disney World last month, the “Seven Dwarfs Mine Train” ride at Magic Kingdom is worth your time.
This portion of the day may or may not have been brought to you by Disney.
9:51: Q3 is underway, but here is the classification from Q2:
9:50: Q3 is about to get underway at Yas Marina.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Q2
9:48: Buxton and Ruth Buscombe speculating that Ferrari, given Leclerc’s penalty, might decide to completely change the SF-24 and start from pit lane, getting him into a little bit of clean air at the start of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix tomorrow.
9:46: Pending a reinstatement of Leclerc’s lap, these are the five drives eliminated: Tsunoda, Lawson, Stroll, Leclerc, and Magnussen.
Bottas advances into Q3.
9:44: Nightmare for Ferrari as Leclerc’s time, which was good enough for P2 behind teammate Carlos Sainz Jr., sees his lap time deleted.
His time is only good enough for P14, which will see him drop to the back of the grid due to his penalty, unless his time is reinstated.
9:43: Pierre Gasly goes into P3. He might not stay there as final times come in, but the Alpine driver should be safe for Q3.
9:41: Final push laps are underway in Q2, but one driver who will not be taking part is Verstappen. The Drivers’ Champion has climbed out of his RB20, confident that his lap time will be more than enough to advance to Q3.
9:36: A scary moment for Leclerc who almost finds the wall at Turn 14.
9:33: Just ten minutes remain in Q2, and Verstappen is atop the timing sheets.
9:31: In something of a surprise, race officials have announced there will be no further investigation into the incident between Russell and Lawson.
9:30: Q2 has begun and many drivers are taking straight to the track.
9:29: F1 has shared the final classification of Q1, with Bottas up in P2 just behind Charles Leclerc.
As a reminder, Leclerc is taking a ten-place grid penalty this weekend for exceeding the allowed number of Energy Store (ES) components in a given season.
9:24: Race control announces that the start of Q2 will be delayed. Will Buxton on F1TV speculates that the delay might be due to a potential investigation of Russell impeding Lawson near the end of Q1.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Q1
9:21: Replays show that Kevin Magnussen struck a bollard while moving off the racing line, which then spun onto the track and was picked up by Hamilton, sticking to the front of his W15 for a long portion of his final qualifying lap.
9:20: “I messed up big time guys,” is the report from Lewis Hamilton, who comes across the line 18th in his final qualifying appearance for Mercedes.
Albon, Zhou Guanyu, Colapinto, and Doohan are the five drivers eliminated.
9:19: Scary moment as Liam Lawson comes roaring around the final turn of a push lap, coming up on George Russell who is just starting his push lap.
After benefiting from an impeding penalty last week, Russell might get one of his own this week.
9:18: Valtteri Bottas jumps to the top of the timing sheets. The track is coming alive as more and more rubber gets laid down by the 20 drivers.
9:15: Pérez’s lap time has been reinstated, and the Red Bull driver slots into third.
9:13: Just under five minutes remain in Q1 and the five drivers in the drop zone are: Jack Doohan, Liam Lawson, Alexander Albon, Pêrez, and Colapinto.
Both Pérez and Colapinto have yet to set a time due to lap times being deleted for exceeding track limits.
9:10: The McLarens finish their initial push laps and Piastri slots in fourth, and Norris fifth. Not only are they behind Carlos Sainz Jr. and Max Verstappen, who are currently one-two, but also Nico Hülkenberg, as Haas has looked strong all weekend.
9:08: Pérez’s time was good enough to top the timing sheets, but his lap time was deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 1. The same happens to Williams driver Franco Colapinto.
Since track limits might be an issue today, here is a friendly reminder:
9:06: Stroll sets the first time of Q1, but both McLarens are out on the trich right now, as well as Sergio Pérez, who remains under pressure to hold onto his F1 seat next season.
9:02: Lance Stroll is the first driver to take to the track,
9:01: There is a green light at Abu Dhabi but none of the cars have taken to the track just yet.
9:00: Ok friends, let’s get this rolling.
