Verstappen''s feud with Russell in F1 overshadows Hamilton''s last race for Mercedes

ABU DHABI: Two of Formula 1's top drivers exchange bitter personal attacks. All-time great Lewis Hamilton is bidding an emotional farewell to Mercedes. And by the way, the constructor's title is still on the line.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is loaded with drama at the end of a 24-race F1 season. Despite Max Verstappen wrapping up his fourth driver title in Las Vegas two weeks ago, the Red Bull star is still the centre of attention for a feud with George Russell of Mercedes.

Russell branded Verstappen “a bully” and accused him of threatening behaviour following a dispute between the two in qualifying at the Qatar Grand Prix last week. Verstappen was pushed off pole position in Qatar in favour of Russell and has said Russell lied to get him a penalty.

Verstappen is aiming for his 10th race win of the season on Sunday in Abu Dhabi. That's an impressive feat by most drivers' standards but not for Verstappen, who won 15 races in 2022 and topped it with 19 last year.

The whole weekend in Abu Dhabi will be a long goodbye for Lewis Hamilton as he leaves Mercedes, where he won six of his seven titles, and joins Ferrari for 2025.

Hamilton is driving in Abu Dhabi with the names of 150 fans on his car as part of a “Thank you, Lewis” campaign by Mercedes.

The move to Ferrari was announced before the season began and Hamilton admitted Thursday the prolonged farewell has been much more of a strain on his emotions than he expected.

Hamilton is out of form and was pessimistic about finishing on a high after penalties and a puncture marred his race in Qatar.

What does McLaren need to win the title?

Either McLaren or Ferrari will end a long wait for an F1 constructors title on Sunday. McLaren hasn't won the lucrative prize for teams since 1998 and Ferrari's last win was in 2008.

McLaren takes a lead of 21 points into the weekend after a heavy penalty for Lando Norris last week ended its chance of sealing the title in Qatar.

“A win is what we need. I think we're going to need to have both cars on the podium if we want to clinch the championship unless something very disastrous happened to the McLaren,” Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. said Thursday.

Doohan leads new wave of rookies

Hamilton's move to Ferrari shocked F1 when it was announced in February, and it set off a chain reaction of driver moves elsewhere.

Next year, F1 will have its largest influx of young drivers in years as established names switch teams or leave the grid.

One of the new faces is on the grid in Abu Dhabi after Alpine opted to give Jack Doohan an early taste of F1. He replaces Esteban Ocon for the last race of the season. Doohan, a 21-year-old Australian, is the son of motorcycle racing great Mick Doohan.