NORRIS WINS SEASON FINALE TO CLAIM MCLAREN'S FIRST CONSTRUCTORS TITLE SINCE 1998

The season finale in Abu Dhabi was all about McLaren and Ferrari as the Constructors title came down to the final 58 laps of the 2024 season finale. Norris dominated in the final race to give McLaren the Constructors Championship for the first time since 1998 when Norris was just 13 days old and Piastri hadn't even been born. Sainz took home second in his final race for Ferrari before moving to Williams for next year and Leclerc finished third in what was a good season after wins in Monaco and Monza for the Ferrari driver.

It was the man on pole Lando Norris (McLaren) who lead into turn one but in a moment of madness from Max Verstappen (Red Bull) who collides with Oscar Piastri (McLaren) into turn one thankfully both cars keep going. Then in what is possibly his final race for Red Bull and possibly his final race in F1 Sergio Perez (Red Bull) spins round after being tapped by Valtteri Bottas (Sauber) but carries on for now. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) is second and Pierre Gasly (Alpine) is third then George Russell (Mercedes) and Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) in fifth.

His race only lasted two laps as Perez stops on track after that contact. The VSC is deployed to neutralise the grid. We go back racing just one lap later on lap three.

Another driver who isn't on the grid next year is Franco Colapinto in the William's who is forced to retire the car on lap twenty eight. A driver who has certainly made headlines for his eight races in the sport and the Argentine driver is certainly someone who deserves a full time seat in F1.

Someone who may never have a full time seat in F1 again Valterri Bottas makes contact with Magnussen and is going slowly with his front right hanging on for dear life - Bottas locked up going into the corner and was a passenger in that accident as was Magnussen in a way. One lap later on lap thirty two Bottas is out of the race.

On the fifty eighth and final lap Liam Lawson who may well be alongside Max Verstappen next year is forced to retire as he pulls his RB off to the side and is out of the race.

A race which is often full of goodbyes was certainly no different this year. We say goodbye to Kevin Magnussen who is off to race with BMW in WEC, Bottas and Zhou say goodbye to the sport as Sauber replace both drivers for 2025 and Franco Colapinto also says goodbye to F1. Other drivers were saying goodbye as they move to other teams... Sainz says goodbye to Ferrari as he head to Williams, Hulkenberg say's goodbye to Haas before jumping ship to Sauber and the biggest of them all is of course Hamilton who after 12 seasons and 6 World Titles says an emotional goodbye to Mercedes before joining Ferrari next year.

We are unsure about the future of Sergio Perez. We have already seen some drivers leave before this weekend with Logan Sargeant being dropped mid season by Williams and Daniel Ricciardo who was dropped by the Red Bull group after Austin in a goodbye that shocked the sport for a driver not just loved by the fans but by Red Bull someone Christian Horner has publicly loved since arriving in F1.

The next race is of course the 2025 season opener.

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: Under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. All images are owned by Formula One.