Max Verstappen has officially clinched his fourth career Formula 1 world championship during the Las Vegas Grand Prix, and McLaren seem on their way to winning the constructors’ championship, so there’s not much to play for in this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The main backdrop of this race is the farewell bids of some of our favourite drivers rather than the actual Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024 results.
Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz Jr., and Esteban Ocon will switch places next season, and Kevin Magnussen, Zhou Guanyu, and Valtteri Bottas are going to be unemployed since their teams decided to move on from them, so this event at Yas Marina will mean more to them than to others.
Besides winning the drivers’ title, Max Verstappen recently picked a fight against one of this season’s top drivers, and their brewing rivalry adds more spice to the festivities.
One last ride for some of the drivers
Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz Jr., and Esteban Ocon will head to Yas Marina with mixed emotions because this will be their last race with their current teams. Hamilton will move to Ferrari, replacing the Williams-bound Sainz, and Ocon will transfer to Haas to form a new tandem with rising star Ollie Bearman.
Carlos Sainz Jr. and Esteban Ocon are competing with chips on their shoulders because of how they were displaced by their current clubs. Meanwhile, it’s a bittersweet feeling for Lewis Hamilton, given his fruitful partnership with the Silver Arrows.
Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes formed the most successful partnership in Formula 1 history. Over the past 12 years, Hamilton has won six drivers’ titles, 84 races, and led Mercedes to secure eight constructors’ titles in the process.
All three of them made a promise to give it their best shot on the final race this weekend for different reasons, especially after they struggled during the Qatar Grand Prix, with Hamilton finishing 12th, Sainz finishing sixth, and Ocon suffering a DNF.
Verstappen and Russell have beef
The growing feud between Max Verstappen and George Russell is the other thing to look out for this weekend, and SBOTOP race fans should have their popcorns ready. Just ask Lando Norris, who is cheekily pouring fuel on the saga.
Verstappen lost pole position in Qatar when he went to the stewards for blocking Russell during qualifying, although that didn’t stop the Dutchman from winning the race. After the race, Verstappen called out Russell, saying he “lost all respect” for the Mercedes driver and accused him of being two-faced on TV.
Russell hit back at Verstappen’s comments, saying that the four-time Formula 1 champion is a bully for threatening to physically hurt him during the race by “looking to put his head in the wall.” The 26-year-old added that the Dutchman didn’t deserve to win the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the Formula 1 championship.
Max Verstappen is undoubtedly the better driver than George Russell, given their gap in the drivers’ championship. Even if he loses the race, Russell is still keen to get one over Verstappen.
History
Lewis Hamilton will be keen to finish his Mercedes stint on a high note. His history in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix offers a positive outlook because the seven-time World Champion has the most wins in Yas Marina with five, including a back-to-back from 2018 to 2019. Max Verstappen is right behind Hamilton with four wins. Red Bull (7) and Mercedes (6) are the most successful teams on this track.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix also proved to be the turning point of Max Verstappen’s career, as this is where he won his first-ever Formula 1 title in dramatic fashion.
What are the odds?
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024 odds predict another close fight between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, priced at 3.25 each to win on Sunday. Charles Leclerc is at 7.00, and Oscar Piastri and George Russell are at 9.00. Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz Jr. are distant challengers for the podium, given their prices of 10.00 and 11.00, respectively.
The 10th and final points slot is up for grabs between Fernando Alonso, Alex Albon, Zhou Guanyu, Kevin Magnussen, Lance Stroll, Nico Hulkenburg, Valtteri Bottas, Yuki Tsunoda, Franco Colapinto, Jack Doohan, and Liam Lawson, as they’re all priced equally at 501.00 odds to win the race.
As mentioned, McLaren are poised to clinch the constructors’ title on Sunday. The Papayas are 2.40 favourites to reign supreme in Yas Marina, with Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes right behind them at 3.10, 4.30, and 4.75, respectively.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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