Lando Norris wins Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for McLaren to seal constructors’ title
Lando Norris’ victory at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix laid the foundation for McLaren’s first F1 Constructors’ Championship in 26 years.
Although Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished second and third respectively, Norris led from start to finish and his fourth win of the season was enough to seal the title by 13 points.
Leclerc’s outstanding driving after starting 19th on the grid made the atmosphere highly tense – if something happened to Norris’s car, Ferrari would have locked up the championship.
Lewis Hamilton finished fourth in his final race for Mercedes, overtaking teammate George Russell with six corners to go.
After crossing the finish line, Hamilton ate a donut straight in the pits, then took some time with his car to collect his thoughts before congratulating Norris and McLaren F1 boss Zak Brown. Sainz and Leclerc.
McLaren’s anxiety began at the first corner when Norris’ team-mate Oscar Piastri – second only to the Briton in qualifying – was knocked down by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. The world champion was given a 10-second time penalty for causing the incident.
This left Piastri at the back and McLaren’s hopes rested on Norris.
Leclerc put McLaren on edge with a stunning first lap that saw him finish an impressive 11th, including overtaking five cars at once as he approached the tight corners at Turns Six and Seven.
Leclerc’s climb continued as he passed Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg and the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso before pitting on lap 20 Beyond Pierre Gasly’s Alpine. He finished third when the Mercedes of George Russell, Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen pitted to make way for him.
With 15 laps to go, Leclerc, third behind Norris and Sainz, asked “if we’re going to lose the team like this” and was told, yes, but the race wasn’t over yet.
But Norris and McLaren were in control and he crossed the finish line six seconds ahead of Sainz, ending a long and painful title-less spell.
