Whereas a lot was fabricated from Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes finale and Carlos Sainz’s final race for Ferrari, 4 seemingly everlasting Components 1 farewells additionally occurred on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – and sadly for these concerned, none of them went significantly to plan.
There was little or no fanfare, exterior of their respective groups, for Franco Colapinto, Kevin Magnussen or the Sauber pair of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.
Magnussen is the one one who has agency plans shifting ahead however, after signing with BMW, they lay exterior of F1 – whereas the remaining trio may have eyes on reserve drives for 2025.
Valtteri Bottas
Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Crew KICK Sauber C44, is retired to the storage
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures
The Finn, with 10 F1 wins beneath his belt from his Mercedes days, had held onto dwindling hopes he could be retained by Sauber for 2025 – solely to finally lose out to incoming rookie Gabriel Bortoleto.
What might but show to be his last 12 months in Components 1 ended up being his worst as he failed to attain a single level for the primary time in his profession, let down for almost all of the marketing campaign by his equipment.
That modified within the last three races of the 12 months following a ground improve however even then Bottas struggled and, having certified ninth in Abu Dhabi, endured a tricky race.
Having collided with Sergio Perez to assist the Mexican’s early retirement from the race, Bottas earned himself two penalty factors and a 10-second penalty which dropped down the pack.
He by no means actually recovered earlier than a late lock-up noticed him crash into Magnussen – an incident which ended his grand prix on lap 30 and subsequently led to a five-place grid penalty at his subsequent race, ought to that ever come to move.
“It is a disgrace, nevertheless it’s not the primary disappointment. I am truly relieved that this period of my profession is over, and I used to be actually, actually trying forward and going to work arduous and making an attempt to make the very best plan be again on the grid,” Bottas stated after the race as he targets a return in 2026, with a Mercedes reserve seat trying like his vacation spot within the meantime.
Franco Colapinto
Franco Colapinto, Williams FW46
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Pictures
Having burst onto the scene in a haze of velocity and expectation, Colapinto’s star burned brightly earlier than rapidly dimming sufficient to extinguish any hopes of a 2025 seat.
Changing Logan Sargeant, the Argentinian carried the burden of a nation on his shoulders and early comparisons to compatriot Lionel Messi had been quickly changed by races that had been messy.
Debuting on the Italian Grand Prix, the rookie seemed an prompt improve on the beleaguered Sargeant as he recovered from a disappointing qualifying to complete twelfth, backing up the clamour round him by taking his first factors after coming residence eighth in Baku.
He would take one other level at america Grand Prix as his promising begin piqued the curiosity of the Pink Bull steady, particularly with there being no room at Williams in 2025 with Alex Albon and Sainz already confirmed.
Nevertheless, issues started to quickly disintegrate, particularly his Williams automotive, which he crashed in tough situations on the Brazilian Grand Prix after which once more in Las Vegas earlier than retiring from the ultimate two races of the season, having been hit from behind by Oscar Piastri at Yas Marina.
He now appears to be like set to revert again to his reserve function with Williams for subsequent season, though he’s eager to be behind the wheel in anger: “No plans in the mean time and hopefully I could be racing in one thing subsequent 12 months,” he stated in Abu Dhabi.
“It simply hasn’t been the top of the season I wished nevertheless it’s a part of Components 1. It nonetheless was my dream come true, and it was an incredible expertise, however I would love way more if we’d’ve ended as we began, nevertheless it’s F1.”
Kevin Magnussen
Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-24
Photograph by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Pictures
It was confirmed within the week previous the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that Magnussen will be part of BMW to race its M Hybrid V8 LMDh automotive subsequent 12 months.
At this stage, it was clear the Dane was saying a firmer farewell to F1 than most of his counterparts at Yas Marina.
Nevertheless, he was additionally the one driver of the quartet listed right here who had one thing on the road, with Haas hoping to chase down Alpine and leapfrog their rivals to assert sixth spot within the constructors’ championship.
It was to not be as Pierre Gasly’s seventh place proved sufficient to maintain Alpine clear and, whereas team-mate Nico Hulkenberg got here residence eighth, issues weren’t as easy for Magnussen.
Having ruined Hamilton’s last qualifying for Mercedes by knocking a bollard into the trail of the seven-time world champion, Magnussen certified out of place down in fifteenth, however issues had been trying up when he stormed off the road to maneuver up as excessive as seventh.
It will not final as, following his second scheduled pit cease, he was spun off following the contact with Bottas, ruining his probabilities of a factors end.
He did pit once more and take the quickest lap of the race, a minimum of, earlier than departing off into the desert sundown.
“It’s not the best way I wished to finish the season, however we gave it a go, I attempted one thing particular on that first lap and went for it – gaining seven positions,” he stated.
“Since returning, I feel we’ve managed to show the group round and get it heading in the right direction, particularly within the final half of this 12 months, and I’m happy with that.
“I used to be a small child dreaming about Components 1 25 years in the past, and I managed to get 10 years within the sport I used to be desperately dreaming to be part of – it’s been a privilege.”
Zhou Guanyu
Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Crew KICK Sauber C44
Photograph by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Pictures
Heading to Abu Dhabi, Zhou would have been crammed with extra confidence than at another level of a tough season each personally and for the ailing Sauber squad.
Buoyed by taking the group’s first factors of the 12 months courtesy of an eighth-place end in Qatar every week earlier, the Chinese language would have been aiming so as to add to that in his last outing for Sauber.
As an alternative, it was a return to enterprise as ordinary for the 2024 season with Zhou qualifying down in seventeenth after which gaining some floor earlier than a 5-second penalty for a false begin checked any progress.
Having completed thirteenth, Zhou is now already waiting for 2025 the place a job with Ferrari might be within the offing.
“It was nice to attain some factors for the group a minimum of and now in fact, attempt to see what the subsequent chapter is for me,” he stated.
“There may be potential curiosity from completely different groups and we’re going by it, ensuring that I’m completely satisfied in no matter place I’m. We’ll maintain engaged on a comeback to the grid for a drive as a result of that’s all I wish to do – you don’t wish to maintain sitting round.
“It was nice to attain some factors for the group a minimum of and now, in fact, attempt to see what the subsequent chapter is for me.
“Due to the group for the previous few years and in addition Valtteri might be missed as my team-mate, so hopefully sooner or later, we could be racing collectively.”
“No matter I do. I’m ensuring I’m in a spot that feels promising for the long run after which hopefully, a drive for ’26.”
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On this article
Mark Mann-Bryans
Components 1
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