McLaren Racing – Everything you need to know about the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

The longest season in Formula 1 history is coming to an end – and what a season it was. We enjoyed podiums, fastest laps, pole position and of course our first win since 2012. We want to end the season at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in style and we already have a head start with our one-of-a-kind McLaren Racing x Vuse livery, which will be a real eye-catcher for the whole weekend.

So, for the last time this season, check out our Grand Prix preview. It’s about the thoughts of McLaren F1 drivers Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo and team boss Andreas Seidl, who are going into the last round, the details of our eye-catching new paintwork and changes to the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, as well as other details about our epic Christmas competition .

So follow you

What you say

“I’m looking forward to Abu Dhabi after a disappointing weekend in Saudi Arabia. I think we deserved a lot more and hopefully luck will turn this weekend. It’s a new layout in Abu Dhabi so I’m looking forward to trying it out. We had a good one there last year, and hopefully we can end the season there again this year. “

“One last time for the season in Abu Dhabi, I’m looking forward to getting back on track so quickly after the last one. I hope the changes to the track will improve the race, which could make it exciting on Sunday. After a strong result on Sunday last weekend, I would like to score a few more decent points and end the season on a good note. “

“After a long year of racing, we’re going to Abu Dhabi to give our all one last time this season. We can be proud of the progress we’ve made this year. Our goal at the beginning of the season was to keep the gap closer to the top, and we managed to do that. But the work is not done yet and with a Grand Prix still to come, there is still an opportunity to maximize our performance and get good points. We are also starting this weekend with a one-off paint job for the start of the Driven By Change campaign from our partner Vuse. Cant wait to see it under the lights on the track. Let’s go racing! “

What the statistics say

Lando goes into this weekend after collecting his 300th career point in Formula 1 the last time. He achieved that in just 59 starts, earning him an average of 5.08 points per race. He is hoping for more this weekend as he has never finished outside of the points at the Yas Marina Circuit, while Daniel has finished six times here – fourth place in 2014 and 2018, his highest positions in the race so far.

Elsewhere on the grid, McLaren alumnus Lewis Hamilton leads the title decision tied with rival Max Verstappen. This has happened only once in the history of Formula 1: When Emerson Fittipaldi and Clay Regazzoni were fighting for the 1974 title. Emmo won the decision and secured the team’s first F1 driver and constructor titles.

Choice of tire compound for the Abu Dhabi GP

What is to be considered

Well, of course, our eye-catching new paint job for this weekend. We have teamed up with our main partner Vuse to create a special, one-off paint job for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The bespoke paint job was designed by aspiring artist Rabab Tantawy and marks the first time the work of a female UAE-based artist has been featured on a Formula 1 car at a Grand Prix. Tantawy’s design shows off their distinctive Nubian range, mixed with the team’s iconic papaya and blue color scheme. The eye-catching paint scheme marks the start of the new #DrivenByChange program from McLaren Racing and Vuse: a joint initiative to provide mentoring and a global platform for aspiring artists who are not represented to showcase their talents to motorsport fans around the world.

Like the MC35LM, the Yas Marina Circuit has also been redesigned a bit. The original curve 7 hairpin has been widened and the chicane in front of it has been removed; what was turns 11, 12, 13 and 14 have turned into a long, banked corner; and turns 17, 18, 19 and 20 – now 12, 13, 14, 15 – have all increased their radius to create a faster flowing section of the route. The significant redesign and re-profiling is aimed at more overtaking maneuvers. In addition, the changes are said to have made the route about 14 seconds faster.

After all, this weekend marks the end of the current generation of Formula 1 cars, with cars set to change drastically in 2022 due to new regulations. Enjoy all of the devastatingly intricate aerodynamic furniture and flick-ups – if that’s what you’re into – because they will largely be a thing of the past by next season, as will the current 13-inch tires (which have been in the Formula 1) because they rose to 18-inch rims in ’22.

Weather forecast for the weekend

What to wear

Nothing! Well, not exactly nothing. We don’t expect you to see the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Buff – unless you want to. What we mean is that we simply can’t bring you a new item in the McLaren Store this week. What we can tell you, however, is that if you shop at the McLaren Store by December 13th, you will automatically be entered into a raffle where you will win a signed 1/2 helmet, which only sweetens the deal if you are in to do your Christmas shopping.

McLaren Store

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Plus one

So do you know how we told you in the race preview last week that we are putting the finishing touches to our epic Christmas competition? Well, the day you’ve all been waiting for is almost here. No, not the birthday of Baby Jesus, but the starting shot for the competition! It’s set to go live on Friday December 10th and we can finally reveal some of the prizes you can get your hands on. We’re talking about caps, t-shirts, posters and more, all signed by Lando or Daniel – there are even some posters that are even signed by the boss himself, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown! Make sure you sign up for McLaren Plus using the form below to be the first to enter and have the chance to become one of our 25 lucky winners.

One-off Vuse livery revealed

The paint scheme designed as part of the Vuse “Driven By Change” campaign will be used at the Abu Dhabi GP

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Question time

The ultimate McLaren F1 2021 FAQ

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That was the weekend that was

The Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, according to social media

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