Lando Norris's Flawless Drive At Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Secures McLaren's Constructors' Championship Victory

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Zak Brown, McLaren's chief executive, praised Lando Norris for his impeccable performance at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Norris led from pole position, securing McLaren's first Formula One Constructors' Championship win since 1998. Despite pressure from Carlos Sainz, who finished second in his last race for Ferrari, Norris remained composed. Charles Leclerc, Sainz's teammate, impressively moved from 19th to third place.

Oscar Piastri, Norris' teammate at McLaren, managed to score points despite an early collision with Max Verstappen. This incident occurred at the first corner but did not prevent McLaren from finishing 14 points ahead of Ferrari in the final standings. Brown expressed his relief and admiration for the team's flawless execution during the race.

"That was the worst two hours of my life," Brown told Sky Sports. "Lando drove brilliantly. Unfortunate what happened to Oscar at the start, but the team was flawless. They executed the pit stop great. I think I was the only one who was ready to have a heart attack for about two hours."

Norris finished second in the driver standings behind Verstappen and confidently stated over team radio that next season would be his year. Brown believes Norris has a strong chance of winning the title in 2025 due to his current momentum.

"He's going to give it all he's got, and given the momentum he's on, I wouldn't bet against him," said Brown.

Piastri's Resilience and Reflections

Piastri faced a time penalty after clipping Franco Colapinto during a chaotic start but still finished in the top ten. He shared that Verstappen apologised for their early collision. Despite challenges, Piastri celebrated McLaren's championship win as a significant achievement.

"It was a pretty miserable race but the biggest thing today was we clinched the championship," he said. "It's a massive credit to everyone at McLaren for what they have achieved this year."

A Season to Remember

Norris expressed immense pride in his team's journey throughout the season during the post-race presentation. "It feels incredible," he said. "Not for myself but for the whole team. They have done an amazing job from where we were at the beginning."

The victory marked a special moment for McLaren as they celebrated their first Constructors' Championship win in 26 years. Both drivers are looking forward to building on this success next season.