Norris Controlled, Ferrari Recovered
Lando Norris converted pole into victory at Yas Marina Circuit, closing out the 2024 season with a clean sweep — pole, race win, and 25 points — in what was the most complete performance of his year. Behind him, the story belonged to Ferrari: Carlos Sainz came home second from P3 on the grid in his penultimate race for the Scuderia, while Charles Leclerc converted a 19th-place starting position into third, the kind of recovery drive that demands more than just raw pace.
What Sainz and Leclerc Did Differently
The two Ferrari results came from entirely opposite ends of the grid. Sainz started third and finished second — measured, controlled, and efficient. Leclerc started 19th and finished third. A swing of 16 positions to reach the podium on a circuit not known for its overtaking opportunities is an outcome that requires strategy, tyre management, and a certain ruthlessness in traffic.
The fact sheet does not supply lap-by-lap detail, so the exact mechanism of Leclerc's charge through the field remains unspecified here — but the grid-to-finish delta of plus-16 speaks for itself. For a driver heading into an uncertain off-season with a team about to lose its most experienced race winner, it was a pointed way to finish.
You can compare Leclerc and Sainz's 2024 numbers across the full season on F1Rec.
Verstappen Sixth, McLaren's Season in Context
Max Verstappen ended the season finale in sixth from P4 on the grid, picking up eight points — a result that illustrated exactly where Red Bull had arrived by December relative to where they started the year. Twelve months earlier, Yas Marina had been the scene of a near-total Red Bull procession. In 2024, Red Bull found themselves behind McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes in the race result.
Oscar Piastri finished tenth from second on the grid — a difficult end to what was otherwise a strong year for McLaren. The constructors' shape of McLaren's Abu Dhabi weekend was therefore split: one driver at the top, one at the bottom of the points. Norris's 25 points carried the team.
Mercedes and the Midfield
Lewis Hamilton finished fourth from 16th on the grid, a result that mirrored Leclerc's recovery arc in its ambition if not its final position. It was among the stronger drives of his final race with Mercedes, a team he would leave at season's end. George Russell came fifth from sixth — orderly and points-productive, matching his grid slot almost exactly.
Behind them: Pierre Gasly seventh for Alpine F1 Team, Nico Hülkenberg eighth for Haas F1 Team, and Fernando Alonso ninth for Aston Martin. Kevin Magnussen took fastest lap — not reflected in a points finish, but a data point worth noting as he closed out his own chapter at Haas.
The Final Standings Picture
The 2024 season concluded with no championship decided at Abu Dhabi — the champion had been settled earlier in the year. Round 24 at Yas Marina was therefore about final positions in the constructors' standings and individual pride. Norris's win ended his season on the highest note available to him. Whether that was enough to shift the narrative around McLaren's constructor challenge — and what Verstappen's sixth place said about the trajectory of Red Bull — are questions the 2024 season page breaks down across all 24 rounds.
For the full driver-by-driver breakdown of how the year ended, the F1Rec season leaderboard for 2024 has every points finish ranked.