Preview
Yas Marina Preview: Talking points ahead of Round 7
It all comes down to this! With six rounds down, the action-packed F1 ACADEMY season draws to a close in Abu Dhabi.
The Yas Marina Circuit plays host to the last dance of 2024 and with the final points to play for, let’s take a look at all the topics that’ll keep you entertained across Round 7.
BIDDING FAREWELL TO THE CLASS OF 2024
It’ll soon be time to say goodbye to some familiar faces, as nine drivers are set to depart the series at the end of their maximum two-season stint.
Abbi Pulling, Nerea Martí, Hamda Al Qubaisi, Bianca Bustamante, Jessica Edgar, Carrie Schreiner, Lola Lovinfosse, Amna Al Qubaisi and Emely De Heus are all preparing for the end of their F1 ACADEMY journeys, but they’ve still got plenty of stories to write out on track this weekend.
Between them, they’ve secured 19 wins, 14 pole positions and a further 35 podiums and have each made their marks since 2023’s inaugural campaign.
GOING THREE-FOR-THREE
The season finale features an amended schedule with an additional race taking place, following the cancellation of Race 2 in Lusail.
With three victories up for grabs, the race weekend will get underway on Friday with Free Practice at 09:50 local time (GMT+4). Three pole positions will be contended for in Qualifying at 18:35, with the drivers’ fastest, second-fastest and third-best times setting the grid’s for Races 1, 2 and 3, respectively.
Saturday will see two races with the afternoon’s running kicking off at 12:15, followed by some late night action with Race 2 at 20:15 and Sunday’s Race 3 will round out the season at 11:15.
All three races will last for 14 laps or 30 minutes plus one lap and will award full points on a sliding scale from 25 points to the winner, down to one point for 10th.
TAKING THE TEAMS’ TITLE FIGHT DOWN TO THE WIRE
PREMA Racing’s defence of the Teams’ title is in good shape heading into the final round. The Italian squad hold a 28-point advantage over nearest rivals Rodin Motorsport, whilst Campos Racing are a distant long shot in third, 100 points back from PREMA.
Doriane Pin’s double pole and Race 1 win alongside Maya Weug’s third-place finished helped strengthen their hold by 24 points, with Rodin’s Abbi Pulling and Jessica Edgar finishing in second and seventh respectively.
PREMA remain the favourites, but it could swing dramatically at the final hurdle with 183 points on offer. At the tail end of the Drivers’ Standings, there are only three points in it between fourth-placed ART Grand Prix on 125 and MP Motorsport on 122.
WHO WILL SECURE THE LAST PIECES OF SILVERWARE THIS SEASON?
Every driver wants to finish the year on the best note possible and what better way to do that than with a podium.
Seven drivers have stood on the rostrum across the previous 11 races, with eighth-placed Lia Block the highest-placed driver yet to have brought home a trophy. PREMA currently have the most silverware with 14 podiums followed by Rodin on 11, Campos have six, whilst ART and MP have one apiece.
The Yas Marina Circuit poses a test for the field, with its high-speed Sectors 1 and 2 followed by a tight and twisty final Sector. Fortunately, it’s one that they’ve already gotten acquainted with during in-season testing.
Pulling’s pace looks to be the strongest based off of the three days of running, with the Alpine driver going fastest each day. Doriane Pin was her closest competitor, finishing three tenths adrift on her best effort, recorded on Day 1.
Hamda Al Qubaisi could also be the mix for the top three, recording five top three session results out of sixth and will be hunting her first podium since Barcelona.