McLaren Wins Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship In 26 Years

McLaren emerged as Formula 1 constructors’ champions for the first time in 26 years after Lando Norris beat Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz to win the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. 

Norris, who secured pole position, led from start to finish to register his fourth win of the season. His victory in Abu Dhabi was enough for Mc Laren to seal the championship by 14 points.

Although Ferrari finished second and third with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, in the year-ender, it finished second in the constructor’s championship.

Ferrari, who hoped to turn things around in the final race from 21 points behind, needed to win the Abu Dhabi GP to win the championship.

Leclerc had a chance of topping the podium and there was a flash of hope he could with his sensational drive after starting 19th on the grid.  kept the tension high – had anything happened to Norris’ car, Ferrari would have clinched the title.

Lewis Hamilton took fourth place in his final race for Mercedes, passing team-mate George Russell around the outside of Turn Nine with six corners of the race to go.

McLaren last won the constructors’ championship in 1998. They have been through several ups and down in the past decade. But their fortunes have been revived by years of restructuring with the arrival of Brown at the team as executive director in 2016, before being made chief executive officer of McLaren Racing in 2018, and gathered steam when Andrea Stella was made team principal at the end of 2022, when their forward momentum had stalled.

Stella’s leadership has turned McLaren into the fastest team in F1, and they will go into 2025 as potential favourites.

After winning the race, Norris whooped with delight over the team radio as he was told the title was won, and said: “Next year’s going to be my year, too.”

Abu Dhabi GP Result: Top 10

1) Lando Norris, McLaren

2) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari

3) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

4) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

5) George Russell, Mercedes

6) Max Verstappen, Red Bull

7) Pierre Gasly, Alpine

8) Nico Hulkenberg, Haas

9) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin

10) Oscar Piastri, McLaren

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