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THE FASTEST driver of the 2024 Formula One season has been revealed.Earlier this month saw the end of the thrilling 2024 F1 season, with the drivers championship title going to Max Verstappen and the constructors title going to McLaren.Max Verstappen was the F1 world champion again but was left behind when it came to top speedCredit: RexIn fact, Williams Franco Colapinto clocked the top speed of the seasonCredit: The Mega AgencyBut the 21-year-old is without a seat next yearCredit: RexThe season featured seven different race winners and 10 different drivers on the podium, while three rookies made unexpected debuts after the field had originally remained the same from 2023.The first of these was Ollie Bearman, who will be joining the grid next season as a permanent addition after three sub appearances.Franco Colapinto and Jack Doohan both transferred in to replace Logan Sargeant at Williams and Esteban Ocon at Alpine respectively.Despite his good work, Colapinto failed to earn a seat as one of six rookies for the 2025 season – the others not already mentioned being Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar, Gabriel Bortoleto and Liam Lawson.READ MORE IN F1Yet remarkably, 21-year-old Colapinto is the star who topped the speed charts for the 2024 season.He secured the quickest top speed of the season at the Las Vegas Grand Prix with a pace of 356.4km/h (221.5mph).In second place for the season with 353.5km/h (219.7mph) was Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso at the Italian Grand Prix at the suitably nicknamed Temple of Speed.In third was another driver who is unemployed for the 2025 season in the form of Daniel Ricciardo, who ran out with a score of 353.2km/h (219.5mph) also at Italy’s Monza circuit.Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSHowever, Colapinto’s speed pales in comparison to the qualifying record set by Valtteri Bottas in 2016 at the European Grand Prix when he was clocked at a staggering 378 km/h (234.878 mph).However, top speed alone is not enough to convert into race points.F1 sensation, 21, who is poised to be Max Verstappen’s team-mate now dating Wanda Icardi’s 32-year-old former love rival Following his top speed achievement during qualifying in Vegas, Colapinto would later crash out by smashing into a wall.Pole position in that race was eventually won by Mercedes’ George Russell with a time of 1:32.312, while Colapinto’s quickest lap time was 1:33.746 set in the first session.That being said, most pole positions for the season were shared by Verstappen and Lando Norris with eight each.Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton failed to win a single pole position, but did earn the award for the fastest lap in a race twice.The winner of this metric was Norris, who lapped the quickest lap during six races.F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Liam LawsonFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel BortoletoAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and Isack HadjarHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon More

LANDO NORRIS brought home McLaren’s first constructors’ title since 1998 by the skin of their teeth.All hopes were pinned on the British 24-year-old’s shoulders at the Abu Dhabi GP after his team-mate Oscar Piastri, who started second on the grid, suffered a disastrous crash with Max Verstappen. Lewis Hamilton drove his final race for MercedesThe Brit won six F1 world titles during his nine year stint with the Silver ArrowsHe leaves Mercedes for Ferrari after leading the once most dominant dynasties in modern F1Lando Norris won the Abu Dhabi GP to clinch the constructors championship for McLarenCredit: ReutersThe Abu Dhabi GP was the last race of the seasonLando Norris secured his fourth win of the seasonThe crash at the very start of the race left the Aussie falling into last place before he was then later slapped with a ten-place grid penalty for a collision with Franco Colapinto. To make matters worse, the Ferrari cars were fierce throughout, with Charles Leclerc producing the drive of his life to sit in third for the majority of the race after starting in 19th due to a ten-place grid penalty. Meanwhile his team-mate Carlos Sainz snapped at Norris’ heels and McLaren’s constructors’ hopes from second-place. Norris, who missed out on this season’s driver’s title to Max Verstappen, roared after the race: “Woohoo! Well done everyone, so proud of you all. Next year is going to be my year too.”READ MORE F1Meanwhile in his final Mercedes race, Lewis Hamilton soared into fourth from 16th on the grid with a last-lap pass on team-mate George Russell.Hamilton had endured a horror show in qualifying in his last race weekend with the Silver Arrows.But he was given the freedom of the home straight to do some donuts to mark his farewell after six championship titles with the British team.The constructor’s title is a huge feat for McLaren after the revival sparked by the upgrades they brought to the Miami Grand Prix a full 17 races ago in May, which coincided with Norris bringing the fight to Verstappen for the driver’s title.Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThey have overcome a 115-point deficit at that stage of the season to take the lead from Red Bull.It was David Coulthard and Mika Hakkinen that gave McLaren its last constructors’ title 24 years ago in 1998, its eighth title.The race was crazy from the start as Verstappen and Piastri collided, Yuki Tsunoda stalled and there was a spin from Sergio Perez. Norris got away well but Verstappen touched Piastri on the inside and they both spun at the first corner. Seething Piastri dropped into last place and hit out at the four-time world champ, saying on his team radio: “Yep, move of a world champion.”There was no stopping Leclerc who gained 11 places for Ferrari, soaring into eighth while Lewis Hamilton was in 12th from 16th.Perez had been tagged by Valtteri Bottas before his spin and came to a halt in the final sector of the second lap leaving him out of the race and prompting a Virtual Safety Car. Verstappen was then delivered the news that he had been slapped with a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision with Piastri on the first lap.Bottas also suffered the same fate for hitting Sergio Perez.Hamilton was given the freedom to do donuts after his final Mercedes raceMeanwhile Max Verstappen was crowned four-time world champ last month in Las VegasPiastri pitted by lap five and thankfully for McLaren did not need a new front wing but only a new set of tyres. He came out 25 seconds behind 17th-placed Jack Doohan, but things went from bad to worse when he was hit with a 10-second time penalty of his own for an earlier collision with Colapinto. Suddenly the pressure was cranked up on Norris, with it a long way back for Piastri to get back into the points. It didn’t help that Monaco-born Leclerc was relentless, flying into fourth as a Ferrari red sunset stained the sky.Verstappen pitted and served his penalty on lap 31 and aimed a dig at the stewards, saying: “Could we ask for 20-seconds? Stupid idiots.” READ MORE SUN STORIESFor nearly half of the race the Ferraris had Norris in their sights as they circled like sharks around in the track in second and third. Norris bravely held off and crossed the line as fireworks filled the sky as McLaren beat Ferrari by 14 points.F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season so far:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Sergio PerezFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel BortoletoAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and TBCHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon More

LEWIS HAMILTON’S final race weekend for Mercedes started in the worst manner possible after he was eliminated from the first qualifying session.Hamilton is racing his final weekend with the Silver Arrows after a glittering 11-year career, but declared “I messed up big time” as he scored his lowest-ever qualifying result around Abu Dhabi for tomorrow’s season finale.Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in Q1 of his final race weekend with MercedesCredit: GettyIt was his lowest ever qualifying result in Abu DhabiCredit: APThe 39-year-old would have been looking to end his Mercedes career on a high before his blockbuster move to Ferrari next year.However, Hamilton came unstuck around the Yas Marina circuit as a bollard got stuck under his car in the final few corners of his lap, causing him to lack the speed to escape the drop zone.The Brit had unluckily followed Haas star Kevin Magnussen – who is also on his last race with his team – through a corner after he had knocked a bollard down after cutting a corner.And his time of 1:12.887 was only enough for P18 as he missed out on Q2 by just 0.093s.READ MORE IN F1Speaking on the team radio following the lap, Hamilton said: “I messed that up big time guys. F***ing hell.”That was bad man, jesus.”Mercedes boss Toto Wolff replied: “Yeah s*** Lewis that was bad.” His P18 in qualifying means Hamilton will start ahead of only Alpine rookie Jack Doohan and Williams driver Franco Colapinto.Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSMeanwhile, he will have Zhou Guanyu and Alex Albon of Sauber and Williams respectively directly ahead of him.After winning six world drivers titles with Mercedes, Hamilton’s final six races with the team have seen him score three Q1 eliminations.Lewis Hamilton demands to RETIRE in meltdown at Qatar Grand Prix as time at Mercedes heads for sad endingIt took 171 races for Hamilton to be eliminated three times from Q1 before this, while it also meant Hamilton had lost 19-5 in qualifying results against team-mate George Russell this season.Reacting to his elimination afterwards, Hamilton told BBC 5 Live: “You couldn’t make it up, you really couldn’t, but it is what it is. We gave it everything, I gave it everything, the car was in a good place. “Every practice session went well, I was ahead of my team-mate all weekend but when we got to qualifying I think as a team we didn’t perform in terms of the timing.”I was the last car on track and ran out of time ultimately, and then I got the bollard at the end which went under the car and I lost all downforce so it couldn’t have gone worse really.”On it being his last weekend with Mercedes, he added: “Every day and more than ever I’ve just tried to be really present… just trying to take it in because it’s the last time we will be racing and driving in Silver Arrows and it’s all my wins, all my success through my life so every moment is a special moment and I would have loved to get a podium for the guys this weekend and it just didn’t work out.”He also told Sky Sports F1: “Just my luck but it’s okay.”I’ve tried, we’ve tried so hard with the setup… we thought maybe a podium was possible this weekend.”To go from P1, P2 [in practice] to then be in 18th, it definitely changes the look into the weekend but I’m trying to be present, the team have been great. “My hopes are high, it is what it is, I’ll try and come back.”Speaking in the mixed zone, he added: “I don’t feel the pain. I think for me, I’ve just been very present, been enjoying every moment, getting the car in a good place.”The timing for that (bollard) to get under the car was just nuts. I don’t have any emotions, I’m pretty chill. It was an unfortunate session, with the bollard under the car…”That’s (the final sector) where we’ve struggled the most as a team this weekend. The car was feeling really good in general. P3, I was third. “So honestly I thought we could be fighting for a podium, and my race pace was second-quickest. But it wasn’t meant to be.”Hamilton also opened up on the annual drivers dinner earlier this week, saying: “Really, really happy that we’ve been doing that. “I asked Seb, asked the guys to get together for Seb’s leaving, that was really special, and we had the best time, so we set it up this year, and I hope they had a great time. “It was really funny obviously, George arriving, but it was alright.”Despite his qualifying horror show, Hamilton will start ahead of future Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc who will start at the back of the grid after he was eliminated in Q2 and will take a 10-place grid drop for taking a new battery.READ MORE SUN STORIESThis will bump Hamilton up to P17 for the race barring any further penalties across the grid.McLaren claimed a 1-2 qualifying result with Lando Norris on pole to give them a huge advantage in the constructors championship title race over Ferrari.F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season so far:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Sergio PerezFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel BortoletoAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and TBCHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon More