McLaren wins Constructor’s Title after Norris’ win at Abu Dhabi GP

McLaren are this year’s Constructors’ Champions after Lando Norris finished first at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. Norris, who started the race from the pole position and maintained the lead till the end, ends the season in second place after an impressive season that included four titles. 

Norris’ teammate, Oscar Piastri, finished 10th after an early on-track incident involving Max Verstappen caused him to lose his second-place position. Verstappen was handed a 10-second penalty for that and finished fifth. 

Finishing behind Norris was Ferrari duo Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, who finished second and third respectively. Ferrari ends this season second on the Constructors’ standing, some points ahead of Red Bull. 

Lewis Hamilton came fourth in his last race for Mercedes after his best season with the team in a while. The British driver joins Leclerc in Ferrari next season, where he begins a new chapter of his career in pursuit of an eighth world championship title. Hamilton’s 12-year career with the team included 6 world champion titles and a host of other records. 

Speaking after the race, Hamilton noted that the season had been the longest of his life but was glad they ended “on a high”: “It has been probably the longest year of my life, knowing from the beginning I was leaving. It’s like a relationship that you’ve told whoever the counterpart is you’re leaving, but you’re living together for a year. Lots of ups and downs, but we finished on a high today.”

Hamilton’s teammate, George Russell, who he passed at the final lap, finished fifth. Russell will lead the German team next season, where he will be  joined by 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli. 

And that ends the 2024 season, one of the most-eventful seasons in recent times. The coming months will have news about the next season, particularly about the 2025 calendar and cars for the next year.