Thus ends the very long and unpredictable 2024 F1 season. Lando Norris leads McLaren to victory in the constructors' championship at the circuit of Abu Dhabi. Despite the chaotic start, the English driver was able to perfectly manage the pressure that Carlos Sainz was putting on him behind him. Norris thus takes a great revenge while waiting to return to fight for 2025.
Norris perfect in Abu Dhabi: no mistakes and title for McLaren
A beautiful story that ended today on the Yas Marina circuit. We are talking about the very long relationship between Norris and McLaren. The English team, which fell out of favor at the beginning of the hybrid era in 2014, chose to invest in the very young English driver in 2017, when Lando was still racing in Formula 3. From that moment on, both the team and the athlete grew. In 2019, Norris made his Formula 1 debut on McLaren. From then on, many good performances, but the first and real satisfactions began to arrive this year, with Norris' first career victory in Miami.
A shared growth path that seems to have reached its peak this year. We have often said it during the season: McLaren and Norris seemed to be two sides of the same coin. A being in symbiosis both in successes and in mistakes and imperfections. Driver and team found themselves fighting for the constructors' and drivers' championships halfway through the season, for the first time in a long time. Perhaps, if they had identified the pursuit of Verstappen as a possible objective since the car began to prove to be the most performing on the track, the drivers' title would also have been more within Norris' reach.
That was not the case. In fact, he received a lot of criticism during the season from fans and the media. Marko's words about the psychological fragility of Norris were also bad, a boy who had told the world of Formula 1 that he had suffered moments of depression. The number 4 of McLaren but he didn't give up, despite the attacks he suffered. Of course, he will have to improve and learn a lot from his mistakes, but today he demonstrated much of his value. In fact, Norris took on his responsibilities. He led the entire McLaren team towards the victory of the Abu Dhabi GP and to conquer the constructors' world championship.

Norris ready for next year: “I want to win both titles”
A great season culminating in the constructors' victory. A goal achieved after a very long path of development and improvements. As well as falls and steps backwards. Surely to understand the caliber of the orange success (this time signed by McLaren) you have to look at the path taken by the team. Norris is the symbol of this adventure, so much so that, in the usual post-grand prix interviews, he can't hold back his enthusiasm. “It's incredible, an incredible feeling. Not just for me, but for the team, who did an incredible job recovering from where we were at the beginning. I'm really proud of everyone. It's been a fantastic journey and to end the season like this is truly perfect. Congratulations and thanks to McLaren and everyone at Papaya. With the fans who supported us until the end. TWinning the constructors title is really special for us after 26 years".
In fact, McLaren had not won the constructors' title since 1998, with world champion Mika Hakkinen and his teammate David Coulthard at the helm of the two silver arrows. Now, however, McLaren is once again on top of the world and, it seems, the celebrations will continue all night long. "Me and Zack“, Norris continues, “we already said that tonight we're going to have a lot of fun. We will celebrate because it is a historic moment for the team. They will want to celebrate and so will I. It's going to be a great night".
Norris is already looking to the future. This year, for the first time, he found himself fighting for the drivers' championship, but he was not up to the level of his main rival: Max Verstappen. The English driver will have to make amends for his many mistakes, but, as demonstrated today, Lando Norris has the potential to grow even further. "We also want to win the drivers' championship next year. I've made mistakes but I also learned a lot. From Max and my opponents. And as happy as I am now, sarò excited to try again next year".