Norris takes pole in Abu Dhabi as disaster strikes for Leclerc and Hamilton
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Lando Norris secured pole position after a tight qualifying session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He'll be joined on the front row by teammate Oscar Piastri as McLaren can put one hand on the championship trophy, Carlos Sainz's lap time was good enough for third place in the final qualifying session of the 2024 Formula 1 season. Also in the session, Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in Q1 and finished in 18th for his last Grand Prix with Mercedes. Charles Leclerc was eliminated in Q2 but will start tomorrow's Grand Prix from last in what was a disaster for Ferrari.
Norris' lap was good enough for pole position. Behind him, Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz will line up in second and third place for the final race of the season. Further down the grid, Lewis Hamilton was caught out under the glistening Yas Marina lights. He finished his final qualifying session with Mercedes in 18th after an on-track bollard was stuck underneath his car. His future Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc was eliminated from the second qualifying session after his best effort in Q2 was deleted. The Monegasque will start the final race of the season from the back of the grid.
How qualifying under the lights unfolded:
Q1:
Like in the final practice of the day, the first drivers to emerge onto the circuit were both Aston Martin's. They were followed by both Mercedes cars, and soon after, laps began to come in from all the drivers. Sergio Perez's first lap was deleted after a track limits infringement, which meant that he spent the majority of the session without a time and in the elimination zone. A few minutes later, Perez's time was reinstated after the stewards had a second look at the alleged on-limit infringement. After the mid-session lull, a busy final shootout took place, which decided who would escape Q1. By the skin of his teeth, Lewis Hamilton managed to cross the line to set a lap, but he couldn't find the pace to lift himself out of the elimination zone. The seven-time world champion would start his final race with Mercedes in provisionally 18th place after a scruffy final lap.
Out: Albon, Zhou, Hamilton, Colapinto, Doohan
Q2:
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen set the pace in the second qualifying session on a new set of soft tyres. After his first lap, the Dutchman was one-tenth quicker than McLaren's Lando Norris. The Brit's McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri's lap was good enough for third, as he was a further tenth behind Verstappen. A snap of oversteer for Charles Leclerc nearly put him in the wall in sector three. Although the Monegasque escaped unscathed, his time was only good enough for tenth place. Therefore, he took to the track once again to try and improve. He did manage to, but his lap time was deleted. With his 10-place grid penalty added on, it means that he will start from last place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in what was a disaster for Ferrari. Sauber's Valtteri Bottas managed to get through to 3 for the first time this season in what might be his last-ever F1 race.
Out: Tsunoda, Lawson, Stroll, Leclerc, Magnussen
Q3:
Max Verstappen came out of the blocks in the final session flying. His lap was fast, but at the last corner, he had a huge slide, which could've ended his session. Somehow, he kept his RB20 out of the barrier and his foot on the throttle. Remarkably, he stayed in first place after his first lap. Oscar Piastri's effort was less than half a tenth slower than Verstappen's, but his effort was also removed from the timesheets due to track limits. A few minutes later, the lap time was reinstated. It didn't matter after all, as he improved on his second attempt. In the final scramble, Lando Norris managed to come out on top, setting the final pole of the 2024 season. Nico Hulkenberg's effort was good enough for fourth place in his last race for Haas. Max Verstappen will start the race from fifth.
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