“We don’t really know what time zone we are in anymore. » Max Verstappen is however in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates to compete in the last Grand Prix of the season. Already crowned world champion for the third time since the beginning of October, and also assured of the constructors’ title with Red Bull, the Dutchman does not have much to play for in this final race, apart from improving his own record of victories in one season.
Four days ago, Verstappen brought this record to 18 successes… 13,000 km away near Las Vegas. “With the time difference (12 hours between Nevada and the United Arab Emirates), we lose a day, so it feels like I was in Vegas 24 hours ago, even though it was 24 hours ago four days. (…) I think this sequence was difficult to digest for most of us,” confirms Oscar Piastri (McLaren).
“More sick people than usual”
A trip even harder to swallow for George Russell and Pierre Gasly, whose plane was delayed and diverted to Dallas. “We met at a 24-hour restaurant at three in the morning to have breakfast. We didn’t sleep a wink. It was brutal,” confides Lewis Hamilton’s teammate at Mercedes.
Race results as we enter the last weekend of the season, the drivers on the grid have had a difficult final few hours, starting with Esteban Ocon, announced ill and excused from coming to the circuit this Thursday by his team. “There are more sick people than usual,” explained Valtteri Bottas (Haas).
The fault lies in a complicated final sequence but also in an overloaded calendar all year round: 23 Grand Prix from March to November in the four corners of the planet. Without necessarily geographical coherence. The paddock made three round trips to the United States to Miami, Texas and Vegas rather than concentrating these meetings. “It’s a bit strange that we are halfway around the world before arriving in Abu Dhabi. When we talk about sustainability, it’s probably not very sustainable, not only for the environment, but also for the human body,” lamented Max Verstappen.
Similar observation for Charles Leclerc who admitted to having “slept like a baby” when arriving near the Yas Marina circuit. “In the paddock, and especially among the mechanics and engineers, everyone seems really, really tired and really struggling. It will be even more difficult next year,” warns the Monegasque from Ferrari.
Better for 2025?
But then will F1 leaders learn from their mistakes for the future? For the 2024 season, the calendar is already approved with 24 Grand Prix on the agenda, a broken record, and some surprising choices. The 9th meeting of the year in Montreal is sandwiched between Monte-Carlo and Barcelona… Two races in Europe very close geographically. The end of the year will also end with three consecutive weekends in Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
“We are going to talk to F1 about it, to see if there is anything to do in the future so that the end of the year is a little more normal, because there are already a lot of races, a lot of trips at the end… We can do a little better on the layout of the Grands Prix,” hopes the three-time Red Bull world champion. Perhaps for a better thought-out 2025 calendar, even if rumors of a possible 25th race on the program are still circulating.
His ex-teammate Daniel Riccardo is the only one in top form on the grid. At the same time, the Australian driver, recalled mid-year by Alpha Tauri, only participated in seven Grand Prix: “This is the first time that I don’t want to have an off-season. I want to keep running! » And it’s the only one…
