After a exciting race in Abu Dhabi, McLaren just made history after winning the Constructors’ Championship in the last race of the F1 2024 schedule.
Lando Norris, who started at pole position, was able to keep the P1 from the beginning to the end to secure the first title for McLaren in the F1 Constructors standings since 1998.
The podium in Abu Dhabi was completed by both Ferrari drivers, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.
The Monegasque started from P19 and ended in third position, which made him the F1 Driver of the Day and gave some hope to Ferrari to win the Constructors’ Championship. Despite all the efforts, it wasn’t enough to beat McLaren.
Red Bull Racing was the third one of the F1 teams to complete the podium in the Constructors’ Championship.
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A Chaotic Start
The beginning of the race was very chaotic. In turn 1 of the first lap, the Driver’s World Champion, Max Verstappen, clashed the other McLaren’s driver, Oscar Piastri, who also clashed Franco Colapinto a few moments later.
Both Verstappen and Piastri were given a 10-seconds penalty for causing these collisions.
Valtteri Bottas also crashed Sergio Pérez in the first laps. Both Colapinto and Pérez tried to continue, but had to retire their cars after a few laps.
Piastri by the way, continued from the bottom and was able to end in P9. Verstappen, number 1 in the F1 Driver standings, ended today in P6.
A Day Of Farewell
After a Silly Season like no other, a lot of drivers said goodbye to their teams and some of to F1 at all.
Some of the most notable ones were Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton.
The Spaniard got a last podium with Ferrari before leaving to Williams Racing, while Lewis Hamilton, one of the best F1 drivers of all time, ended in P4 in his last race with AMG-Mercedes after winning 6 Driver’s Championships and left in tears before taking Sainz’s sit in Ferrari.
Valtteri Bottas, who used to be another top driver in Mercedes’ most successful era, couldn’t get his expected farewell and ended the year without a point and retiring his car after a clash with Kevin Magnussen.
Magnussen, who’s also leaving F1, said goodbye winning the Fastest Lap of the race.
The other F1 drivers that said goodbye today are:
- Nico Hulkenberg (leaves Haas to join Sauber)
- Franco Colapinto (remains in Williams as a reserve driver)
- Zhou Guanyu (leaves F1, future unknown)
Esteban Ocon, who’s also leaving Alpine to join Haas next year, drove his last race last week in Qatar. Jack Doohan, his replacement in Alpine, drove his first F1 race today in Abu Dhabi.
According to some international F1 news, Checo Perez’s future is unclear right now and could leave Red Bull Racing, even after he got a two-year renewed contract this year.