McLaren Seals Constructors Title as Norris Wins 2024 Abu Dhabi GP – Sport Grill

Lando Norris dominated the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to seal a first constructors’ title for McLaren since 1998. 

Norris led from lights to flag to secure his fourth main race victory of the season and the vice-champion honour, whilst his win also ended McLaren’s 26-year wait for a first constructors’ title since 1998.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished second and third ahead of Lewis Hamilton who finished fourth in his last race for Mercedes, with the Brit off to Ferrari in place of Sainz in 2025.

George Russell finished fifth ahead of Max Verstappen who recovered to sixth following an opening-corner collision with Oscar Piastri, who finished 10th and rounded out the points.

Pierre Gasly finished seventh to secure sixth for Alpine in the constructors ahead of Haas who finished the race in eighth with Nico Hulkenberg, whilst Fernando Alonso finished ninth for Aston Martin.

In the drivers’ standings, Verstappen wrapped up his fourth title with a 63-point gap to Norris which is the second-lowest title-winning gaps out of his four world titles, having controversially beaten Lewis Hamilton by eight points in 2021.

McLaren won the constructors’ title by 14 points from Ferrari whilst Red Bull, Mercedes and Aston Martin rounded out the top five, ahead of Alpine, Haas, RB, Williams and Sauber.

At lights out, Norris made a clean start from pole but Piastri got spun by a reckless Verstappen on the inside of turn one – who also spun simultaneously, with stewards unimpressed and served the four-time champion a ten-second penalty.

Bottas also received the same punishment after he spun Sergio Perez out at turn six, which put the Red Bull driver out of what could be his final F1 race, subject to a post-season review.

Leclerc benefitted from the chaos to climb to eighth by the time a virtual safety car was deployed on lap two for Perez’s stricken car, which lasted just one lap and Piastri hit Colapinto on the Williams’ rear to earn himself a 10s penalty.

Up front, Norris built a three-second gap to Sainz whilst Gasly held Russell off for third, whilst Leclerc cleared Hulkenberg for fifth on lap 12 on the inside of turn nine.

Leclerc then benefitted from Gasly’s early stop on lap 15 before he followed suit six laps later, but the Monegasque cleared Gasly on lap 24.

Sainz on lap 26 opted to try and undercut Norris who pitted a lap later and the Brit crucially re-joined with a 1.564s lead over the Spaniard who is his ex teammate.

Hamilton was the only driver to opt for the alternative strategy and took his hard tyres until the end of lap 34, before he switched to mediums as the last driver to pit which put McLaren at that point 13 points clear of Ferrari.

Norris eventually cruised home for his fourth Grand Prix victory plus secured a first constructors’ title for McLaren in 26 years, whilst he also denied Sainz a fairytale farewell to Ferrari ahead of Sainz’s move to Williams next season.

Leclerc finished third to soften the blow on a bittersweet race for Ferrari whilst Hamilton snatched fourth from Russell on the final lap to end his Mercedes stint on a high from 16th on the grid.

F1 will kick off the 2025 season with a launch event at London’s O2 Arena on 18 February, followed by pre-season testing from 26-28 February.

The season properly commences on the weekend of 14-16 March down under in Melbourne, Australia, with F2 and F3 again in tow for the opening round of the campaign.