Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: F1 – live!

We just had a spectacular fly-past in formation by some jets billowing coloured smoke and what looked like a couple of commercial planes for good measure, too. Just to maximise the carbon footprint for this weekend’s Grand Prix.

Red Bull’s Christian Horner on that fuel discrepancy for Leclerc: “The statement says there is a ‘significant’ difference … the technical regulations are black and white … usually in a case like that, it’s either legal or isn’t.”

So he thinks Leclerc will be disqualified. Interesting scenes …

Jos Verstappen on his son Max’s chances today: “I think he has a chance until the first corner, after that it will be difficult … the Mercedes is very quick. He will have to go for it into the first corner.”

Red Bull are trying to do an end-of-season photo, or video, and Brundle is trying to barge in. He mentions there is a lot of rubber debris out on the track from F2 cars …

Martin Brundle is out on the grid now and is trying to grab people for interviews in his well-established style.

“It’s been a busy year,” says Fernando Alonso.

Of a possible return to Formula 1, the Spaniard says: “Let’s see next year, maybe there’s an opportunity with the new rules.”

Of all the F1 circuits in the world, I actually know this one quite well. In fact I have even ridden a bicycle around it, believe it or not, while working on the Abu Dhabi Tour a couple of years ago. It’s certainly a spectacular setting for a race of any kind, although there’s more time to take it all in on a bicycle vs. an F1 car.

There seems to be a little controversy about Charles Leclerc’s fuel load and a discrepancy between what the Ferrari team declared and what he has on board. In fact, he’s been referred to the stewards before the race has even begun – but the matter will be investigated after the race. Sky are digging for more info on that as we speak, so if they can shed any more light, I’ll let you know …

Ted Kravitz on Sky Sports asks: “Can Bottas get on to the podium from the back of the grid?” That would be some achievement. Further up the grid, of course, we have that battle between Verstappen and Leclerc, who will be duking it out for third place.

We are less than 40 minutes away from the start of the race. Don’t forget, you can send your thoughts to me on email or on Twitter, so please do get in touch.

Sky Sports are now chatting to 2016 champion Nico Rosberg, who sealed the drivers’ title in Abu Dhabi back in 2016. Rosberg suggests a change in protocol whereby there is a championship podium as well as a race podium – he was on the second step back in 2016 when he sealed his title, and would obviously have liked a chance to celebrate from atop the podium …

And what of prospects for today’s race? “It’s Lewis’s race to lose today, isn’t it?” says Martin Brundle.

“The start is [Max] Verstappen’s chance, and I think he’s going to go for it,” says Rosberg.

Sky Sports just ran a feature with Red Bull Racing chief technical officer Adrian Newey, that took us all the way back to the Mansell/Senna/Prost era. “He’s a genius, there is no doubt about that,” says presenter Simon Lazenby.

Asked about that terrible 1994 Imola weekend that Ayrton Senna passed away, Newey says: “It had never occurred to me that I designed a car someone might die in.”

Here’s some pre-race reading for you from Giles Richards after Hamilton took pole:

Plus a comment piece on Lewis Hamilton – champion once again this year:

Hello everyone, and welcome to our live coverage of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Britain’s Lewis Hamilton wrapped up the Formula One drivers’ championship at the previous race in the USA – he now enjoys an unassailable 73-point advantage at the top of the standings ahead of Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

Now a six-time Formula One champion – one title behind the legendary Michael Schumacher overall – Hamilton is also on pole position today, so it seems everything is nicely set up for a victorious end to another glorious campaign for the Briton.

There could be plenty of intrigue in today’s race despite the drivers’ title being decided. The battle for third place could be thrilling: as it stands third-placed Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) is 11 points clear of fourth-placed Charles Leclerc (Ferrari).

Hamilton’s team-mate Bottas, meanwhile, starts from the back of the grid after the team changed his engine not once but twice since the last race – most recently on Friday night when they discovered a problem with the new engine they put in a few weeks back. It will be interesting to see what impact Bottas can make – if any – from 20th on the grid.

Hold tight for some pre-race reading and analysis. Lights out at 1.10pm GMT.