Sunday Debrief: Norris controls the Abu Dhabi GP to secure McLaren constructor’s title

McLaren become the 2024 F1 Constructors champions for the first time in 26 years. Lando Norris leading from start to finish was enough to deny Ferrari their hopes for the title, while an early retirement from Perez saw Red Bull out of contention early in the race.

 

Qualifying

Coming out of Q1, Doohan, who replaced Ocon after an early end to their contract, Colapinto, Zhou and Albon made their exit, accompanied by Hamilton on his final weekend with Mercedes. Hamilton getting caught out by Magnussen, who in the effort of getting out of the way hit a bollard, sending it into the path of Hamilton and getting stuck under the Mercedes and sabotaging Hamilton’s final shot to get out of Q1. Hamilton moving up from P18 to P16 after Leclerc, and the two Williams took their penalties.

 

Moving into Q3, Bottas putting his Sauber to the test and sending himself into Q3 for the first time this season on his final qualifying in formula one, Bottas without a seat for the 2025 season.

 

McLaren on a weekend that could see them become the constructors champion for the first time in 26 seasons, locked out the front row, Norris leading the pair, while the championship rivals in the Ferrari, Sainz and Leclerc started from P3 and P19 respectively.

 

Race

 

With penalties in place, at the back of the grid the Williams sandwiched Leclerc, Colapinto on his final race replacing Sargeant, starting in P20. Hulkenberg also picked up a penalty for slowing in the tunnel during qualifying , putting the Haas in P7.

 

Going into turn 1 Verstappen had a go at Piastri for P2, Verstappen getting too close sending both cars spinning. Both cars able to stay in the race with Piastri dropping from P2 to P19. A few corners later Perez was sent spinning by Bottas, putting an end to his possible final race with Red Bull, and causing the Virtual Safety Car.

 

In the chaos of the opening lap, Leclerc climbed up from P19 to P8, keeping the championship alive for Ferrari, meanwhile in hopes for a final podium for Lewis, Hamilton sat behind Verstappen in P12. Verstappen picking up a 10-second penalty for his late lunge on Piastri.

 

The race resumed on lap 3, in an effort to pass Colapinto the Piastri mace contact with the Williams, both drivers suffering and coming into pit, Colapinto pitting a lap before Piastri on lap 4 with a puncture. Piastri labelled the culprit in the incident and picking up a 10-second penalty for causing a collision with Colapinto.

 

Sauber would have wished for a different result from their drivers, Zhou picking up a 5-second time penalty at the start of the race for a false start, while Bottas became the third retirement of the race after Colapinto and Perez. Bottas retiring midway in the race, after a lock up sent him into the path of Magnussen, bringing damage to the Sauber and debris on the track.

 

Hopes were high at Mercedes for their final race with Hamilton, Bono coming up with a “cunning” plan to finish with Hamilton possibly on the podium. On lap 33, Bono delivered the words “its Hammer time” for the final time, Hamilton pitting on lap 35, the last driver to do so, switching from Hards to Mediums while the rest of the grid were on Hards apart from Magnussen who was on the Softs. Hamilton re-joining the track from P7 behind Gasly. Hamilton cleared Gasly on lap 42, moving up into the top 5 with a 14-second gap to his teammate.

 

With 2 laps to go in the race, Russell was told to keep it clean with his teammate 1.2 seconds behind. Going into the final lap, Hamilton remained within DRS range of his teammate, Hamilton sealing the deal on the final corners to finish his final race ahead of his teammate in an incredible fight from P16 to finish P4. A drive team principle, Toto Wolff, would describe as “the drive of a world champion”.

 

Norris did the job he needed to do to hold the lead of the race from start to finish to complete the race winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as well as securing McLaren the constructors title for their first time in 26 years. McLaren also picking up an extra point from Piastri, who finished the race in P10 after a disastrous start. Sainz finished in P2 in his final race with Ferrari, the Spaniard set to go to Williams in 2025, his teammate Leclerc finished in P3 along with winning Driver of the Day, Leclerc coming from P19 to finish on the podium.

 

Magnussen, another driver to be departing this season, finished the race outside of the points but with the fastest lap. Magnussen fighting to keep the fastest lap after a shunt with Bottas diminished dreams of a points finish.