Mika Häkkinen: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Preview

Hot Topic

THIS weekend is all about the Formula 1 World Championship for Constructors as my former team McLaren goes up against Ferrari in the final race of the season.  The winner of the teams’ championship is awarded the largest share of Formula 1’s billion dollar prize fund.

The two teams are are separated by only 21 points, but with 44 points available on Sunday for a 1-2 finish and fastest lap, Ferrari will be looking for a perfect result and hoping that McLaren has a tough weekend.

Although Max Verstappen has won the last four Grands Prix in Abu Dhabi, Ferrari has been competitive for the last two years, at least in qualifying.  Team leader Charles Leclerc qualified 2nd last year, only a tenth of a second behind Max, while in 2022 Charles and team mate Carlos Sainz locked out the second row.

For me, however, McLaren are in a super strong position and I have to admit I will be the first person to congratulate the drivers and team bosses Andrea Stella and Zak Brown if they can take the Constructors’ title.  They have done incredible work in recent seasons to bring McLaren back to full competitiveness. To win this year’s Constructors’ title would be a brilliant achievement.

Throughout 2023 and into this season McLaren have produced a car which gives their drivers confidence. They have also developed it across the season.  The factory and the race team are working together fantastically well, and in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri they have one of the best driver line-ups in Formula 1.  Young, talented, aggressive and hungry, they are both capable race winners and potential World Champions.

Visualizing the airflow around @McLarenF1's sidepods!👀 (Collab with @justf1car📸)Among all teams, McLaren improved the most year after year, but also throughout each seasonTheir development path has been clear, reliable, and extremely effectiveExample: Best McL Quali Lap -… pic.twitter.com/PIflnMq5Ak

— Formula Data Analysis (@FDataAnalysis) July 25, 2024

While McLaren and Ferrari have won five Grands Prix each this season, McLaren’s consistency in scoring 10 second placed finishes has made the difference.  I think that will again be critical on Sunday, and McLaren knows it just needs another decent points scoring result to claim the title.

 

Take Note

This is a big weekend in Formula 1 because a number of drivers are going to be having their final races with their teams.

It marks the end of Lewis Hamilton’s long partnership with Mercedes-Benz. I won my titles with Mercedes and enjoyed a long relationship with them, but Lewis has driven Mercedes-powered cars at McLaren and Mercedes since he came into F1 in 2007 and this weekend will be his 356th race with the German company.  Working with the Mercedes team Lewis has won six of his seven World Championship titles, and together they have won eight teams’ titles.  It’s been an incredible partnership.

Valtteri Bottas will have his final race for Sauber, both he and team mate Zhou Guanyu are leaving and his future plans are yet to be announced.  It’s been an incredibly difficult season for the team, Zhou scoring their first points last weekend in Qatar.  Valtteri will be aiming to go out on a high.

It’s also Carlos Sainz’s final race for Ferrari, a two-times winner this season and now heading to Williams for 2025.  Finally Jack Doohan will replace Esteban Ocon at Alpine this weekend, the Australian stepping up from his role as test and reserve driver.

Mika’s Tip

Considering Max Verstappen’s fantastic wins in Sao Paulo and Qatar, and the fact he has won in Abu Dhabi for the last four years, the new World Champion will start this weekend as favourite. My tip is that one Ferrari and one McLaren driver will join him on the podium, but that it will be McLaren who will emerge as World Champions.

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