Abu Dhabi GP qualifying review

Alex Kalinauckas and Jonathan Noble reviewed qualifying at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where McLaren took a front row lock-out with Lando Norris claiming his eighth pole position of the 2024 campaign – the most alongside world champion Max Verstappen.

The Woking squad therefore enters Sunday’s season finale as a huge favourite to clinch its first constructors’ championship since 1998, as McLaren leads nearest challenger Ferrari by 21 points. 

Alex and Jon break down the potential threats to McLaren’s expected coronation, including Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) and Verstappen (Red Bull) who both start on the second row.

Yet it would take a near-on miracle for McLaren to lose the title to Ferrari, as the Scuderia’s other driver Charles Leclerc will start the grand prix at the back after a disappointing Q2 exit compounded by a 10-place grid drop for fitting a new battery onto his SF-24. 

Lewis Hamilton was another driver to have suffered an underwhelming qualifying, as he was eliminated from Q1 on his final weekend with Mercedes. So that, and the freak bollard incident which led to it, is also discussed by Alex and Jon as is Nico Hulkenberg’s day as the Haas driver qualified fourth, but a grip penalty means he will start in seventh for his final race with the American squad.