McLaren gained the Components 1 constructors’ championship on Sunday for the primary time in additional than 1 / 4 century, securing it within the closing race of the season by holding chief rival Ferrari at bay.
It gained with a decisive lights-to-flag victory by Lando Norris in Abu Dhabi, touchdown the storied British group its first championship since 1998, when former McLaren driver Mika Häkkinen gained considered one of his two driver’s championships.
“Congrats, everybody! Unimaginable. Effectively accomplished, everybody. So happy with you all. You all deserve this,” Norris mentioned through group radio after taking the checkered flag. “Subsequent 12 months’s going to be my 12 months, too.”
It was additionally a triumphant second for Zak Brown, the jovial and media-friendly American CEO of McLaren, who took the job in 2018 and oversaw McLaren’s rise from a struggling midfield group. The constructors’ trophy carries extra than simply bragging rights — it comes with giant sums of coveted prize cash, too.
“What an superior group effort,” Brown mentioned on the Sky Sports activities and ESPN broadcast. “Superb! That was annoying.”
Norris quipped within the postrace interview: “Me and Zak are going to get completely hammered tonight.”
Ferrari completed second and third within the race with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, respectively, however the double podium wasn’t sufficient. Heading into the season finale, Ferrari’s two drivers wanted to outscore McLaren’s two drivers by at the least 21 factors. The Italian group hasn’t gained a championship since 2008.
The tip of the 2024 season additionally marks a changing-of-the-guard second for F1, with a rising and a few older drivers stepping apart.
McLaren’s comfy 1-2 begin on the grid Sunday instantly descended into chaos after its different driver, Oscar Piastri, spun round within the first nook after tangling with Max Verstappen — a crash that earned the Purple Bull driver a 10-second penalty.
In the meantime, Sainz tucked into second place early on behind Norris and completed there. Leclerc, who began in nineteenth place after taking a grid penalty for exceeding his allotment of energy unit parts, charged all the best way as much as sixth place in simply the primary 10 laps.
However Norris managed the race on the entrance and opened up a niche that no person might problem, one which proved essential for his group.
Piastri completed tenth after getting a 10-second penalty of his personal for working into the again of Williams driver Franco Colapinto.
Purple Bull dominance ended this 12 months
Purple Bull completed in third place general after dominating the final two seasons, with McLaren and Ferrari — and sometimes Mercedes — bettering their automobiles and gaining floor, delivering thrilling and unpredictable battles for followers who need shut competitors.
Verstappen nonetheless — his fourth in a row — enabled by a powerful exhibiting within the early a part of the season earlier than his struggles started. After successful seven out of the primary 10 races, Verstappen gained simply two out of the final 14. He final month, changing into simply the sixth driver in F1 historical past to win 4 or extra championships. Norris completed second within the standings after a .
The season marked a after two seasons the place it was untouchable, together with a 2023 season the place it gained a staggering 21 out of twenty-two races.
However by the top of the 2024 season, it wasn’t even a contender for the constructors’ trophy, with Purple Bull second driver Sergio Perez having a depressing season. He completed a distant eighth within the driver’s standings, marking his first winless season throughout his fourth 12 months with the group. Perez couldn’t muster a single top-five end within the final 18 races. Perez retired from the Abu Dhabi race after a collision on the primary lap, which was deemed to not be his fault.
Perez’s future racing with Purple Bull is deeply unsure, despite the fact that he’s contracted with the group for subsequent 12 months.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton completed fourth in his final race for Mercedes, ending the . Hamilton will be a part of Ferrari early subsequent 12 months, changing Sainz, who’s becoming a member of Williams.
“Thanks for all of the braveness, the dedication and the fervour,” Hamilton instructed his group over the radio. “What began out as a leap of religion changed into a journey into the historical past books.”
Jack Doohan completed fifteenth in his first race for Alpine in Abu Dhabi as he replaces the Haas-bound Esteban Ocon full time subsequent season.
The 18-year-old Components 2 driver Kimi Antonelli will exchange Hamilton at Mercedes, racing alongside George Russell.
Components 2 driver Oliver Bearman is becoming a member of Haas. And Gabriel Bortoleto, who gained the Components 2 championship in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, is slated to drive for Kick Sauber subsequent season.
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