The Dust Settles On Abu Dhabi

that’s

Formula

done

and

dusted

for

another

year:

Grands

Prix,

1444

laps

racing,

equivalent

7314

kilometres,

what’s

been

the

longest

season

the

year

history

the

sport.

Right from the start of Friday free practice at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina circuit, our drivers felt happier with the car than they had done a week earlier in Qatar. We actually had to wait until the second hour of track time to get Yuki’s verdict as fellow countryman Ayumu Iwasa was driving his car in the first session, in line with the Sporting Regulation stating that each race driver must give up his seat to a “young driver” for at least one session per season.

Iwasa san’s car started off fitted with aero rakes for data acquisition and he did everything expected of a rookie on a race weekend, namely not putting a foot wrong, providing good feedback and, most importantly of all, not bending Yuki’s car! On both cars we evaluated a new front wing for 2025 and in the evening, with Yuki back in the car, he was soon up to speed, finishing the day tenth fastest, one place above Liam.

Twilight Thrills

Even before Saturday’s qualifying session, it was clear we would be aiming for a one-stop race on Sunday and so we could afford to throw all our Soft compound tyres on for quali, Liam and Yuki running two sets each in Q1 and Q2. For a quick lap at Yas Marina, you’re looking to deal with the gusts of wind, getting your tyres into the perfect window for a flying lap and avoiding the curse of current Formula 1, “exceeding track limits”. Our duo managed all that, although in a very close contest we didn’t quite have the pace to make it to Q3, but starting 11th and 12th with Yuki and Liam respectively, we were hoping that points might be on the cards come race day.

To be honest, the race was a scrappy affair for us, with Yuki dropping down the order when the anti-stall device kicked in off the start line. He gritted his teeth and fought hard, but 12th was the best he could do in the circumstances. It’s easy to forget that this was only Liam’s sixth race of the year, so smoothly has he fitted in to the team and on Sunday, his mid-race pace was very impressive, with the New Zealander turning in some of the best laps of his short season. However, his race was compromised when he had to revisit the pits for a stop & go penalty, for an unsafe release, after his left front wheel had not been fitted properly when he pitted to change tyres. A few laps later he had to park the car at the side of the track with a technical issue.

In the Spotlight

Not the end to the season we were hoping for, but there are still many positives to take into the winter, including the fact we scored almost double our points total from the previous year. As team principal Laurent Mekies said on Sunday night, “there are a lot of exciting challenges to come over the winter and we will be pushing very hard to keep our progression going into 2025.”

There’s still one more day of track action this year, with all ten teams staying at Yas Marina for a Tuesday test session aimed mainly at evaluating 2025 tyres. Each team runs two cars, a young driver in one and a free choice in the other. We have Liam evaluating next season’s Pirelli compounds, while Ayumu is back in Yuki’s car. Yuki himself is rather excited at the opportunity he’s been given to get behind the wheel of the car that won this year’s Drivers’ World Championship, courtesy of our friends at Oracle Red Bull Racing.

And if you’re sad at the thought of no more racing, you have under a hundred days to wait until the lights go green above the grid at Melbourne’s Albert Park track for the start of the 2025 season.

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Gallery

Twilight Thrills

Behind the Visor

In the Spotlight

Calm Before the Storm

Chasing Shadows

Racing in Abu Dhabi