The "impressive" Sainz effort that had Norris doubting Abu Dhabi win was McLaren's

First corner drama for Oscar Piastri in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix suddenly increased the pressure on Lando Norris. Carlos Sainz remained determinedly in range to threaten a move that could have altered the narrative of McLaren's season, but that didn't materialise as the team celebrated winning its first constructors' championship title since 1998

It stank of champagne. The entrance to the McLaren pit garage, barely 20 minutes after Lando Norris had won the 2024 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi season finale. His fourth win sealed the orange team’s first constructors’ crown since 1998 and it fittingly smelled just as Norris himself had done as he’d bounced into the press conference after taking his maiden triumph back in May’s Miami Grand Prix.

So much had happened since. Both Norris and McLaren became title contenders – the former for the first time at this level, the latter for the first time in a generation. Both made mistakes, both learned and rebounded convincingly.

In this article

Alex Kalinauckas

Formula 1

Ferrari

McLaren

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.