And breathe. Formula 1’s 24-race marathon is done, dusted, and to be firmly ensconced in the history books; it’s already gone from present to past tense on Wikipedia.
It’s been a great year for F1, as expectations of another Max Verstappen title rout were firmly dispelled as the growing forces behind Red Bull nudged it off its perch. Verstappen overcame the renewed challenge to keep his hands on the title belt but, on the basis of this year, he’ll have his work cut out to claim a fifth.
The remaining loose ends were tied up at the Abu Dhabi finale, as McLaren laced up its first constructors’ title in 26 years to put Ferrari’s growing challenge firmly to bed. In his controlling victory at the Yas Marina circuit, Lando Norris took the oh-so-coveted vice-champion accolade to go down in history as one of seven billion people who didn’t win the F1 title in 2024. Better luck next year, chap.
An intense battle for sixth in the constructors’ championship also reached its conclusion: in a season-long fight contested by Haas and RB, the honours went to Alpine thanks to a dramatic recovery in the final quarter of the season (plus a handy bit of luck with inclement weather in Brazil). There’s still a few things left to resolve away from the circuit, namely the Red Bull and RB line-ups, even though Sergio Perez definitely has a contract and definitely won’t be going anywhere…
So, for the final time this year, let’s do this: here’s everything we learned at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
1. McLaren goes through hell and back again for first constructors’ title since 1998
Norris, Piastri and Brown are just part of the huge effort to push McLaren back to glory
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
In 1998, McLaren ended a barren spell in the mid-1990s thanks to the Adrian Newey-penned MP4/13 chassis and a strong line-up in Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard, and came away from the year with both titles in tow.
The team was back at the front of the field but, somehow, didn’t win another constructors’ title for 26 years. Hakkinen won the drivers’ title in 1999, but Ferrari swung the teams’ crown by four points albeit after having its disqualification at the Malaysian Grand Prix overturned despite apparently illegal bargeboards. The Prancing Horse then followed up on this in 2000 to embark on a streak of dominance while McLaren paled in comparison.
The 2007 season should have been the year when McLaren secured its ninth constructors’…
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