Sun Dec 08 17:52:15 UTC 2024: ## McLaren Crowned Formula 1 Constructors’ Champions After Norris’s Abu Dhabi Triumph
**Abu Dhabi, UAE –** Lando Norris steered McLaren to a stunning victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, securing the team’s first Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship title since 1998. The win, Norris’s fourth of the season, capped off a remarkable comeback for the British team.
A dramatic opening lap saw Norris’s teammate, Oscar Piastri, collide with reigning champion Max Verstappen, relegating the Red Bull driver to a sixth-place finish. Despite the incident, Norris dominated the race, holding off Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, who finished second and third respectively. Ferrari’s strong performance was ultimately not enough to prevent McLaren from securing the championship.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, racing his final Grand Prix for Mercedes before his move to Ferrari next season, finished fourth. Verstappen, who clinched his fourth consecutive Drivers’ World Championship last month in Las Vegas, was unable to prevent McLaren’s victory.
An ecstatic Norris celebrated his win with the team, exclaiming “Papaya on top!” – a reference to McLaren’s distinctive orange livery. He also expressed his pride in the team’s achievement and declared his ambition to win the Drivers’ Championship in 2025. Norris finished the season as runner-up to Verstappen in the Drivers’ standings. The victory marks a triumphant return to the pinnacle of Formula 1 for McLaren, ending a 26-year drought and signaling a bright future for the team.
First Piper 