The main battle for the Constructors’ Championship at the Yas Marina circuit was, of course, focused on Ferrari and McLaren, with the Woking team managing to secure their first win since 1998. However, in Abu Dhabi, there was also notable attention on the fight for 6th place among Haas, Racing Bulls, and Alpine, won by the French team thanks to Pierre Gasly‘s seventh-place finish.
Extreme highs and lows
The Frenchman, delivering another convincing performance in the latter part of the season, allowed Alpine to finish with a 7-point advantage over Haas, capping off a season that started with many difficulties in the best possible way: “I’m very happy for the whole team because we secured sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship,” said #10. “This season, we experienced lows that were extremely low and highs that were extremely high. We went through tough times this year, and I’m very proud of the team’s reaction in turning our season around. We ended the season with a competitive car that allowed us to regularly compete for Q3 and fight for points in the races. Credit to Haas, with whom we had a great battle in the final races. There was also a small personal challenge between me and Nico Hülkenberg in the drivers’ championship for tenth place. Today was a tight battle with him, as always. He was right behind me, and I knew we just had to react to whatever he did to achieve our goals. It was nice to run in third place for a part of the race, but we knew that wasn’t our battle today. In the end, an important result with sixth place secured in the championship, so congratulations to everyone on the team for this achievement.”
The excitement of a debut
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix also saw the F1 debut of Jack Doohan, called up by Alpine to replace Esteban Ocon. The Australian, the son of Mick, a five-time world champion in MotoGP, finished in 15th place, thanking the team for the opportunity as he looks forward to 2025, when he will officially become Gasly’s teammate: “First of all, I’d like to thank Luca de Meo, Flavio Briatore, and Oliver Oakes for the opportunity,” he said. “It was an incredible experience to make my Formula 1 debut, and I’m very grateful they entrusted me with the car this weekend. I thank the entire team for making the transition as smooth as possible. It was fantastic to be back racing, I learned a lot, and I gained significant experience. We finished sixth in the Constructors’ Championship, which is great, and I’m happy to have contributed wherever possible to achieving this result, both this weekend and throughout the season behind the scenes. Congratulations to Pierre for his race result and his tenth place in the Drivers’ Championship. I can’t wait for next season, which will start with my home race in Australia, as we continue working and progressing with the team.”
Never giving up
Having joined mid-season as Alpine’s new Team Principal, Oliver Oakes is also pleased with the outcome of this championship: “It’s a great result to finish the season in sixth place,” he explained. “The turnaround in the second half of the season by the team has been extraordinary and demonstrates that the hard work and determination of everyone at Enstone and Viry have paid off. The team never gave up, never lost sight of the ultimate goal, and we can carry this confidence and momentum into 2025. Pierre drove a great race and did everything that was asked of him. He has been at his best lately, and today he delivered another excellent performance to keep Hülkenberg at bay. Jack did well today and showed promising pace, adapting to the cars around him with similar strategies. It’s a great learning experience for next year. Credit to Haas and RB, who were strong this year and kept the battle exciting until the end. Congratulations also to McLaren for winning the Constructors’ Championship. They’ve been the benchmark this year and fully deserved it.”
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