F1 Abu Dhabi GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race
Minute-by-minute updates of the 2024 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will launch from the front row of the grid in Abu Dhabi as McLaren looks to seal a first constructors' title since 1998.
Lewis Hamilton, who secured McLaren's latest crown of any description with his maiden 2008 drivers' title, makes his final bow for Mercedes before his switch to Ferrari, while Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Zhou Guanyu, Kevin Magnussen and Franco Colapinto all start in F1 for potentially the last time.
The race gets under way at 13:00 GMT.
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Amid the drama, we have hardly mentioned Hamilton and his drive through the field. He is currently 12th, battling Lawson's RB.
Leclerc is putting Alonso under pressure for sixth place, and uses DRS down the back straight to take the place off the Spanish driver. More points gained as things stand for Ferrari, but even if they finish 2-3 behind Norris it wouldn't be enough. They need to beat Norris to victory.
On his recovery driver, Verstappen is eighth and sits just under 2s behind Alonso's Aston Martin. But that gap is beginning to shrink.
Piastri now has a 10-second penalty of his own, for causing a collision with Colapinto. He will serve that sanction when he next stops.
Norris has punched in a new fastest lap of 1m28.860s to push his lead over Sainz to 3.1s.
"Good," says Piastri when informed of Verstappen's penalty.
Less good for the Australian is that he is now under investigation for contact with Colapinto.
Leclerc is up to seventh with a DRS-assisted move on Magnussen.
Piastri is flying now, putting in a 1m28.950s for a new fastest lap of the race. No tyre saving there!
A 10-second penalty for Bottas also, although replays show the Finn was left with few options of where else to place his Sauber.
At the start of lap seven and Norris still leads by 2.7s from Sainz with Gasly a further 2.5s back. The Alpine driver has Russell, Hulkenberg and Alonso for close company.
"Yep. Move of a world champion there," was Piastri's reply when he got hit by Verstappen.
No new front wing for Piastri, but he has now been put onto the hard tyre. McLaren will hope for a further safety car to bring him back into play in the constructors' race.
Verstappen has been given a 10-second penalty for clashing with Piastri. That one looked clear-cut, Verstappen lunged the Australian and went into the side of his car.
So, the Verstappen vs Piastri Turn 1 clash and the Bottas vs Perez Turn 7 collision from the first lap are both under investigation.
More drama for Piastri on the restart as he makes contact with the rear of Colapinto's Williams. The latter now pits after reporting a puncture.
Norris leads Sainz by 2.7s at the start of lap four, as Gasly fends off an attack from Russell at the restart.
The incident between Perez and Bottas has been noted by the stewards.
Perez is out of the race, his car wheeled behind the barriers and his Red Bull career perhaps now over.
The Virtual Safety Car period is over and we're back to green flag racing!
In the F1 Academy race this morning, Chloe Chambers was handed a 10-second penalty for making the same move as Verstappen did on Piastri, which also had the same consequence of the two cars spinning.
So, pressure on Norris and McLaren in the constructors' battle as he's lost his wingman, coupled with Leclerc storming start to move up to eighth place. McLaren still holds the advantage over Ferrari, but that's a disaster start.
At the end of lap one Norris leads from Sainz, Gasly and Russell. Piastri is last while Verstappen is 11th after their tangle.
But a brilliant one for Ferrari, with Leclerc up from 19th to eighth! The constructors' battle is well and truly on!
Perez is now spun around at Turn 6. A disastrous start for Red Bull!
Piastri and Verstappen have clashed at the first corner! Norris got away well in pole and still leads, but his team-mate bashed wheels with the Red Bull driver and both are at the back of the pack.
All is well on the formation lap as Norris parks up in the pole position slot and the grid forms behind him. Here we go...
Norris leads away the formation lap with Piastri and company in tow.
The sun is setting on the Yas Marina circuit, the final countdown is playing over the PA, the scene is yet. It is all over after this.
Starting tyres: Hamilton is on hards, everyone else is on mediums.
Here we go then, five minutes until lights out!
The F1 2024 drivers line up on the grid for an end of season photo
Photo by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Images
Hamilton has one final photo and group embrace with all his mechanics and engineers for his final Mercedes race. This one is hitting hard, clearly.
Will.i.am is now on the DJ decks at the front of the grid, with Sir Jackie Stewart alongside him looking on. F1 in 2024.
National anthem time: A stoic rendition of the Abu Dhabi anthem, with not a great amount of fanfare. 6/10.
So, 21 points splits McLaren and Ferrari in the constructors' title fight. Given McLaren has a 1-2 on the grid, and Leclerc is on the back row of the grid, the Woking-based team has a huge advantage and, really, as long as Norris and Piastri don't crash into each other they should be able to do the business. But you never know.
Magnussen's practice start infringement will be investigated after the race. Replays showed him going through his start process in his Haas at pitlane exit and was instantly reported by RB's Lawson behind him. It wasn't a full flat-out start but certainly not something he was meant to be doing.
It is also the final filming day for the F1 movie coming out next year, so the final time to spot Brad Pitt and company pretending to be part of the grid while shooting.
By: Autosport Staff
