Lando Norris secured the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix victory for McLaren, thereby clinching the constructors' championship for his team, their first since 1998. In a high-stakes race that marked the season's conclusion, Norris had to fend off Ferrari single-handedly from pole position after his teammate, Oscar Piastri, was effectively sidelined on the first lap due to a collision with Max Verstappen. Norris managed to keep his composure against a relentless Ferrari, with Carlos Sainz finishing second and Charles Leclerc third. Lewis Hamilton, in his final race with Mercedes, delivered a remarkable comeback drive to secure fourth place from 16th on the grid.
McLaren entered the race at the Yas Marina circuit with a 21-point lead over Ferrari and the advantage of starting from the front row. However, sealing the deal proved to be a high-pressure endeavor, especially after Piastri's early exit. Piastri was spun out to last place at turn one by an overly aggressive Verstappen, who later finished sixth. Piastri did manage to fight back and finished in 10th place. For McLaren, this was a monumental achievement, as their last constructors' title was won by Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard before either of their current drivers were born. Although they secured the drivers' title in 1999 with Häkkinen and in 2008 with Hamilton, the team has since endured a challenging period.
This long-awaited ninth title ties McLaren with Williams, who last won the championship in 1997, with Ferrari leading the count with 16 titles. It also marks the end of the Red Bull and Mercedes dominance that began with Brawn's victory in 2009. This year, McLaren overcame a 115-point deficit, with upgrades introduced at the Miami Grand Prix proving to be highly effective. Despite being thwarted by Verstappen in Las Vegas, Norris and Piastri have consistently delivered success, combining for six wins and 14 podiums. The team has also continued to develop their car in what has become an intensely competitive field.
While McLaren has occasionally fallen short operationally and may have been too slow to prioritize Norris's title challenge, they have nonetheless performed exceptionally well to fend off Red Bull and Ferrari, who have fielded a very competitive car. Hamilton concluded his illustrious career with Mercedes—he will join Ferrari next year—with a spirited drive from 16th place. Although not the celebratory finish he and the team had hoped for, it was a typically committed and hard-fought performance from the seven-time champion.
Norris once again proved his mettle under pressure, maintaining his lead into turn one. Piastri, however, was clipped by a fast-starting Verstappen, who was later penalized with a 10-second stop-go penalty for causing an accident. Leclerc made a superb start, moving up to eighth by the end of the first lap from 19th on the grid, while Hamilton advanced to 12th. These were tense moments for McLaren, with Sainz in second and Piastri out of the points, eventually receiving a 10-second penalty for hitting Franco Colapinto. Norris, however, remained unfazed, steadily increasing his lead to over two seconds.
With McLaren's hopes resting solely on Norris, he managed his tires effectively in the opening stint. For their only stops, Sainz came in on lap 26, and McLaren responded a lap later with Norris. His crew executed a quick, clean stop under pressure, allowing him to maintain his lead over the Ferrari. As the laps wound down, Norris held a comfortable five-second lead, which he managed with cool control to secure the victory and the championship.
George Russell finished fifth for Mercedes, Pierre Gasly seventh for Alpine, Nico Hülkenberg eighth for Haas, and Fernando Alonso ninth for Aston Martin.
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