The Abu Dhabi occasion concludes the longest season in Method 1 historical past, finishing a 24-round world tour. The Yas Marina Circuit has hosted the premier motorsport competitors 15 instances, and on 12 events, it has been the season’s last Grand Prix. 4 weekends have been decisive in awarding a number of world titles: in 2021 for each titles, and in 2010, 2014, and 2016 for the Drivers’ Championship alone. Subsequent Sunday, the race will as soon as once more resolve who between McLaren and Ferrari will likely be topped the 2024 world champion.
As per custom, Pirelli has chosen the softest trio of compounds for this occasion: the C3 as Arduous, C4 as Medium, and C5 as Delicate. The compound marked with crimson brackets will possible dominate the qualifying classes, whereas Medium and Arduous will take middle stage – in each sense, as this would be the third consecutive night time race – on Sunday night.
Following important adjustments launched in 2021, which made the observe a lot sooner and smoother, the circuit is 5.281 kilometers lengthy and affords a number of overtaking alternatives. Tire forces are usually medium-low as a result of shortage of high-speed corners. The asphalt affords restricted grip and has a median roughness for the season. Temperatures will play a key position: two of the three follow classes happen in pure mild, FP2 and the race span sundown, and qualifying is completely within the night. Consequently, asphalt situations can change quickly as temperatures drop, and observe evolution attributable to rubbering in will likely be swift, particularly within the early days, additionally aided by the three assist sequence – F4 UAE, F1 Academy, and F2 – scheduled for the weekend.
On a observe the place graining can have a big affect and, as beforehand talked about, affords overtaking alternatives because of the modifications made three years in the past, a two-stop technique is undoubtedly preferable, as seen final yr. Moreover, the undercut may be very efficient, whereas a single cease requires very excessive ranges of tire administration to restrict efficiency degradation.
The driving force with probably the most wins in Abu Dhabi is Lewis Hamilton, victorious 5 instances. Max Verstappen, who will obtain the Pirelli Pole Place Award of the 12 months on Sunday for securing probably the most poles this season, can match him, having already received 4 instances consecutively from 2020 to 2023. Amongst groups, Pink Bull leads Mercedes (7 to six). Solely two different groups have received in Abu Dhabi: Lotus with Kimi Raikkonen in 2013 and McLaren with Hamilton within the inaugural 2009 version.
Nevertheless, the 2024 season is not going to finish on Sunday night. On Tuesday, December 10, a extremely intensive collective take a look at day is scheduled at Yas Marina. All ten groups will subject two automobiles every: one for rookies – outlined by FIA sporting rules as drivers who haven’t competed in additional than two Grands Prix – and one for different drivers. The tire units will differ: rookies will use the 2024 compounds chosen for this Grand Prix, whereas common or official drivers will take a look at the homologated model of all of the tires, besides the C1, unsuitable for the observe’s traits, that Pirelli will provide in 2025, developed in collaboration with the groups all year long.
Younger drivers may have eight tire units in complete: two C3, 4 C4, and two C5. Different drivers may have ten units obtainable: one C2, three every of C3 and C4, two C5, and one C6, the brand new ultra-soft compound increasing the 2025 vary, presumably to be used on sure avenue circuits subsequent yr. Not like the so-called “in-competition take a look at” in Mexico Metropolis, Pirelli is not going to outline a standardized program for the usage of the 2025 tires: every workforce can work as they like to gather essential knowledge for creating subsequent yr’s automobiles. Through the take a look at, C2 and C6 will likely be marked solely with the Pirelli emblem in white and crimson, respectively, whereas C3, C4, and C5 will retain the standard coloring for Arduous, Medium, and Delicate (along with the brand, the brackets will likely be white, yellow, and crimson, respectively).