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Independent Motorsports Journalism.
Abbi Pulling looks likely to wrap up her F1 Academy Drivers' Championship title in Qatar this weekend, needing just 18 points across two races to do so.
Here are the key talking points heading into Round 6 of the 2024 F1 Academy season.
Charles Leclerc insisted “there won’t be any problems” between him and his teammate, Carlos Sainz, as the pair take to Qatar this weekend. Ferrari remain in the fight for the Constructors' title - and he knows that it is only “by working as a team that we’ll achieve that.”
The Qatar Grand Prix weekend is upon us!
Here's what you should expect as the fight for the Constructors' Championship continue to heats up ahead of the penultimate race of the 2024 F1 season.
Max Verstappen has been crowned as F1 World Champion for the fourth consecutive year, finishing ahead of Lando Norris in Las Vegas to wrap up the title fight with two races to spare.
George Russell won the race, joined on the podium by Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz.
Mercedes continued to top the timesheets in qualifying as George Russell secured pole position for the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen set to start alongside his title rival, Lando Norris.
Max Verstappen found pace in his Red Bull for the first time this weekend, but it was George Russell's Mercedes that topped the timesheets in FP3 ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Oliver Oakes praised Abbi Pulling during an official F1 press conference ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, expressing that the Alpine-backed Rodin Motorsport star's future is "definitely exciting" as she closes in on the F1 Academy title.
Lewis Hamilton continued to top the timesheets in FP2 ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, in a session that saw both Red Bull drivers struggling on the straights after the team reportedly packaged the wrong rear wing.
Toto Wolff suggested that Mercedes are the "dirty track champions" after his team set the pace in FP1 - but the German was quick to add: "I don't believe this kind of advantage to the other teams is going to last."
Max Verstappen's 1:36.038 was only enough to finish fifth fastest in FP1 ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton setting the fastest time with a 1:35.001.
Throughout the session, drivers complained of low grip and highlighted visibility problems at pit entry.
Ayao Komatsu voiced his discontent with the FIA's proposed cost cap exemption, which would purportedly counteract higher wages at Audi's Switzerland base from 2026 onwards.
The Haas team principal commented: "Apart from Sauber funnily enough, everybody's against it.
With just three races of the 2024 F1 season remaining, VCARB's Liam Lawson admitted that his future is still yet to be decided and expressed that he hopes to "have a clearer picture after the season."
George Russell suggested that F1 drives are "a bit fed up with the whole situation" after a flurry of high-profile FIA departures, with Haas' Kevin Magnussen adding that "we feel it's more us against them."
While Lando Norris admitted that claiming his first F1 WDC title is 'a long way out of reach' after disappointment at Interlagos, the McLaren driver refused to concede victory ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
21.11.2024 05:30 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 1
The Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend is upon us - here's what you should expect as Verstappen nears his fourth World Drivers' Championship and the fight for the Constructors Championship heads to Sin City.
20.11.2024 14:30 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
As they did in 2023, teams have opted to make use of special liveries as F1 prepares to descend on the streets of Las Vegas this weekend. From simple tweaks to garish neon numbers, Backmarkers.co.uk have compiled them all here.
In a statement issued on social media, Robert Shwartzman thanked Ferrari for "one of the best experiences" of his life as the 25-year-old Russian-Israeli driver turns his attention to racing for PREMA in IndyCar next year.
Ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Backmarkers.co.uk take a look at what Max Verstappen needs to do in Sin City to claim his fourth World Drivers' Championship title.
