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In a race crammed with drama and historic milestones, Lando Norris delivered a surprising efficiency on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, main from begin to end to clinch McLaren’s first Constructors’ Championship in 26 years. The Briton’s victory, his fourth of the season, capped off a stellar 12 months for the staff and ended Ferrari’s hopes of a last-minute upset.
“You all deserve this. Thanks a lot. It’s been a particular 12 months,” Norris mentioned over the staff radio as he crossed the road. “Subsequent 12 months goes to be my 12 months too.”
A Historic Win for McLaren
The 25 factors from Norris’s victory, mixed with teammate Oscar Piastri’s single level from a Tenth-place end, gave McLaren a 14-point lead over Ferrari within the last standings. It marked the primary time since 1998 that McLaren lifted the Constructors’ trophy, cementing their resurgence as a power in System One.
The race, nevertheless, didn’t come with out challenges. Piastri’s hopes of a powerful end have been dashed after a first-corner collision with Crimson Bull’s Max Verstappen, dropping him to the again of the pack.
Ferrari Takes the Combat to the Podium
Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc secured second and third locations, respectively, however their efforts fell wanting toppling McLaren. Leclerc made an unbelievable cost by the sector, beginning nineteenth and ending on the rostrum, a feat that showcased his talent and willpower.
“Sadly, we have been beginning too far again to do something higher than what we did,” Leclerc mentioned. “It hurts when a season is so shut till the tip.”
Hamilton’s Mercedes Farewell
Lewis Hamilton’s last race for Mercedes was one other spotlight. Beginning sixteenth, the seven-time world champion clawed his technique to fourth, overtaking teammate George Russell on the ultimate lap. Mercedes staff principal Toto Wolff praised the efficiency: “Lewis, that was the drive of a world champion.”
Hamilton, who joins Ferrari subsequent season, ended his Mercedes tenure with a celebratory tyre-smoking spin, saluting the gang in Abu Dhabi.
Verstappen’s Struggles
Max Verstappen, already topped a four-time Drivers’ Champion, endured a irritating race. A collision with Piastri earned him a 10-second penalty, and his frustration was evident over the staff radio: “May we ask for 20 seconds, silly idiots,” he quipped. The Dutch driver completed sixth, removed from the dominant kind he displayed all through the season.
Midfield Battles and McLaren’s Triumph
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly claimed seventh, serving to his staff safe sixth within the Constructors’ standings, whereas Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso rounded out the highest 10.
For McLaren, the win marked a brand new chapter. CEO Zak Brown mirrored on the tense race: “That was the worst two hours of my life, by far. That race, he (Norris) carried us. He drove flawlessly.”
Trying Forward
As groups start preparations for the 2025 season, McLaren’s resurgence and Norris’s declaration of intent sign that they’ll be a staff to look at. In the meantime, Ferrari welcomes the powerhouse pairing of Hamilton and Leclerc, setting the stage for an additional thrilling chapter in System One.
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