Norris’ Victory Secures McLaren’s Constructors’ Championship

Lando Norris clinched McLaren’s initial Formula 1 constructors’ championship in 26 years by triumphing at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which concluded the season. He was seen celebrating this victory and the constructors’ title alongside McLaren CEO Zak Brown. Norris maintained the lead throughout the race, and this fourth victory of his season was sufficient to secure the championship by a margin of 14 points. This achievement occurred even though Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished in second and third positions, respectively. Leclerc’s exceptional performance, having commenced the race from 19th on the grid, sustained a high level of suspense; a mishap involving Norris’ vehicle would have resulted in Ferrari claiming the title. Lewis Hamilton secured fourth position in his last race competing for Mercedes. He overtook his team-mate George Russell on the outside of Turn Nine with only six corners remaining in the event. After completing the race, Hamilton performed doughnuts on the pit straight, then spent a brief period reflecting with his car before extending congratulations to Norris and McLaren F1 boss Zak Brown, and offering solace to Sainz and Leclerc. McLaren’s apprehension began at the initial corner when Oscar Piastri, Norris’ team-mate who had qualified second behind the Briton, was spun by Max Verstappen of Red Bull. The reigning world champion received a 10-second penalty for instigating this collision. This incident relegated Piastri to the rear of the field, thereby placing McLaren’s championship aspirations solely on Norris. Leclerc further heightened McLaren’s tension with an impressive opening lap, during which he advanced an extraordinary 11 positions, notably overtaking five vehicles simultaneously as he approached the chicane at Turns Six and Seven. Leclerc’s ascent persisted as he overtook Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg, followed by Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin. After his pit stop on lap 20, he then passed Pierre Gasly’s Alpine. He moved into third place when the Mercedes cars of Russell and Hamilton, along with Verstappen, made their pit stops, clearing his path. While positioned third, trailing Norris and Sainz during the last 15 laps, Leclerc inquired if “like this we lose the constructors'”, receiving confirmation that they would, but also being informed that the race had not concluded. Nevertheless, Norris and McLaren maintained complete control, and he crossed the finish line six seconds ahead of Sainz, thereby concluding a prolonged and challenging period devoid of a championship title. This victory also guaranteed Norris the second position in the drivers’ championship, placing him 18 points ahead of Leclerc and 63 points behind Verstappen. McLaren’s most recent drivers’ championship triumph was in 2008 with Hamilton, yet their team’s championship drought extended back to 1998. Verstappen and Piastri were both left facing the wrong way after colliding at the first corner. The team experienced a challenging decade. However, their prospects have been revitalized through years of reorganization, initiated when Brown became executive director in 2016, subsequently being appointed chief executive officer of McLaren Racing in 2018. This momentum accelerated when Andrea Stella assumed the role of team principal at the close of 2022, a point when their progress had stagnated. Under Stella’s leadership, McLaren has transformed into the quickest team in F1, positioning them as potential favorites for the 2025 season. Norris expressed his elation with a whoop over the team radio upon learning of the title victory, stating: “Next year’s going to be my year, too.” Lewis Hamilton commemorated his advancement from 16th to fourth position in his concluding race for Mercedes. His final performance for Mercedes was robust, especially considering his starting position of 16th on the grid, a result of qualifying misfortunes. He was the sole competitor to commence the race on hard tyres, employing an inverted strategy to progress through the field during an extended initial stint. After rejoining the race following his pit stop on lap 34 of 57, Hamilton overtook Hulkenberg and Gasly once more. With Verstappen already trailing due to the Dutchman’s penalty, the seven-time champion advanced to fifth place, behind Russell. Utilizing fresher tyres, Hamilton narrowed the gap to Russell, beginning the final lap directly behind him. Hamilton gained ground along the two lengthy straights, subsequently leveraging his superior tyres to overtake Russell around the extended, rapid Turn Nine, after the younger driver had defended the inside line. This secured Hamilton a fourth-place finish as he concluded his 12-year tenure with Mercedes, marking the end of the most triumphant team-driver partnership in F1 history. Via the team radio, Mercedes and Hamilton exchanged congratulations and conveyed their mutual admiration. Hamilton commented: “What started as a leap of faith turned into a journey into the history books.” Verstappen finished in sixth position, preceding Gasly, Hulkenberg, and Alonso. Meanwhile, Piastri recuperated from his opening-lap collision with Verstappen and a subsequent 10-second penalty for making contact with the rear of Franco Colapinto’s Williams, ultimately securing the final point for McLaren.