F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Lando Norris Leads McLaren to 2024 Constructors’ Championship Title
Lando Norris led from the pole to win the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, helping McLaren to win their first constructors' Championship in 26 years.
By Divyam Dubey
The 2024 Formula 1 Constructors' Championship was eventually won by McLaren in Abu Dhabi by Lando Norris, ending a lengthy drought. The victory marked a watershed moment for McLaren, as it finally broke the team's 26-year title drought. Second place went to Ferrari's Carlos Sainz who fought hard to overtake Norris but was ultimately unsuccessful. Third place went to Charles Leclerc. Despite their best efforts, Ferrari's 16-year title drought remained. After starting in sixteenth place, Lewis Hamilton stunned the crowd in his final race with Mercedes by roaring back to fourth place. As his long-awaited move to Ferrari drew near, the seven-time world champion passed George Russell on the final lap. A 10-second penalty for Max Verstappen's collision with Oscar Piastri's McLaren ruined his race. The four-time world champion rallied, though, and finished sixth.
Also Read: MotoGP: Alpine Set to Sponsor Premac Racing from 2025
Pierre Gasly finished seventh ahead of Nico Hülkenberg, which helped Alpine finish sixth in the constructors' standings. Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri completed the points-scoring positions in ninth and tenth place, respectively.
F1 Abu Dhabi: Race Result
Alex Albon missed out on points for Williams, finishing in 11th place. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) and Zhou Guanyu (Sauber) followed in 12th and 13th, respectively. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) secured 14th, while Jack Doohan impressed on his Alpine debut, finishing 15th.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time |
| 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 58 Laps |
| 2 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | +5.832s |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +31.928s |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | +36.483s |
| 5 | George Russell | Mercedes | +37.538s |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +49.847s |
| 7 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +72.560s |
| 8 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas | +75.554s |
| 9 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +82.737s |
| 10 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +83.821s |
| 11 | Alex Albon | Williams | +1 Lap |
| 12 | Yuki Tsunoda | VCARB | +1 Lap |
| 13 | Zhou Guanyu | Sauber | +1 Lap |
| 14 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +1 Lap |
| 15 | Jack Doohan | Alpine | +1 Lap |
| 16 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | +1 Lap |
| 17 | Liam Lawson | VCARB | DNF |
| 18 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber | DNF |
| 19 | Franco Colapinto | Williams | DNF |
| 20 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | DNF |
Several drivers faced early exits. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) ended his season in 16th, while Liam Lawson's Red Bull suffered a late-race failure, forcing him to retire. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber) and Franco Colapinto (Williams) had their final races cut short due to punctures.
Also Read: F1: Haas Confirms Esteban Ocon and Ryo Hirakawa for Post-Season Testing
Sergio Perez (Red Bull) also retired after a first-lap collision with Bottas. The Mexican's future in Formula 1 remains uncertain as speculation swirls about a potential return in 2025.
