Illuminated qualifying, final dances, and rookie initiation - after the twists, a result that can be considered usual. This is how the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the last qualifying session of the 2024 Formula 1 season unfolded.
After the first "real" timed laps of Q1, Carlos Sainz, Max Verstappen, and Kevin Magnussen stood at the top, but due to the rapidly changing conditions, it was almost certain that this would not be the final order of the session. The world order quickly turned upside down, as Valtteri Bottas slipped in between the two Scuderia Ferraris to take second place and advanced to Q2, while Lewis Hamilton, experiencing his Mercedes farewell, was eliminated due to an extremely unfortunate incident. Kevin Magnussen hit a cone, unfortunately right under Hamilton's car, who thus went into his fast lap unarmed... Besides him, the two Williams drivers, Guanyu Zhou and Jack Doohan, who was completing his first F1 qualifying, had to say goodbye to further battles prematurely.
In Q2, Verstappen and the two McLarens showed their strength at the top, and then we witnessed some drama. Sainz, Verstappen, and Nico Hülkenberg advanced first to Q3, but the list of the last qualifiers and the eliminated was much more interesting. While Valtteri Bottas, also eliminated, shot the Alfa Romeo to Q3 with a sensational drive, the Ferrari team was not quite sure whether to laugh or cry, as Leclerc, behind Sainz, was eliminated due to track limits and will start from the very last position in tomorrow's race. Alongside him, the two Visa RB, Lance Stroll and Kevin Magnussen, also had no continuation.
Q3 started with Verstappen's incredible save, humorous, but the Dutchman was still able to stay at the front with this lap - in which there was still plenty of time left. Behind him, Norris and Sainz were on the list after the first shots, and to everyone's surprise, Hülkenberg was at the wheel of the Haas. In the end, Verstappen couldn't perform a miracle, so Lando Norris won the qualifying ahead of Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz, but the field is very tight, and an exciting season finale is in sight. We are eagerly awaiting!
