Norris handed the World Championship to McLaren and Sainz was 2nd in his farewell to Ferrari; Alonso, goal achieved

Landau Norris won the 2024 F1 Abu Dhabi GP and thus gave him the Constructors’ World Cup at McLarenending a big drought for the orange team, who have not won a title since the Drivers’ title in 2008, and have not won a manufacturers’ title since 1998, including Hakkinen and Coulthard. Ferrari tried everything but it wasn’t enough. Sainz was 2nd and Leclerc He rose impressively from 19th to third, but Norris’ effort was not good enough.

It has rained a lot since 1998, but McLaren He is back and thinking about 2025 where he wants to take another step and also go for the Driver’s title. This time he couldn’t beat him because, apart from the mistakes of Norris and the stunning hands of Verstappen, Red Bull It started with a superior car last year and it’s not up Imolathe sixth race of the course, when McLaren took the lead in terms of performance.

But keep an eye on 2025, because cars will be a pure evolution of this year and everyone will prioritize the 2026 regulatory change in their plans. In that context, the 2025 season could be more even, with Max, 6th this Sunday, starting the year without a superior car and from a more compromised position. Can the champion pull off an even greater miracle and reclaim the crown? Can Norris make the final move? And the Ferrari with Hamilton and Leclerc? There are many doubts and maximum uncertainty. These are the questions to be answered next year after a well-deserved vacation.

Before that, there is one last appointment marked by that fight for the Constructors’ World Championship that is entirely dependent on Norris not failing from the lead.

At Woking they threw their hands at each other at the start when Verstappen, who started 4th, left Piastri out of the fight. Max passed Sainz in the first few meters and very optimistically threw himself into Turn 1, on the inside. The result is a touch to Piastri and they both spin. Oscar was left with no options, at the back of the pack, and later, in his attempt to come back, he touched Colapinto and received a 10 second penalty. Nothing to do.

Luckily for the English, Lando Norris didn’t suffer to begin with. He was the first to start and maintained that starting position without suffering from a Carlos Sainz who couldn’t come close.

The Englishman and the Spaniard had a good battle of rhythms in the lead and were the only ones to stop. Carlos came in before Lando to attack him, when he was 3″8. And after the Englishman stopped, Carlos was 2 seconds behind. He managed to reduce his disadvantage to 1.9, but the Briton imposed the superiority of his car, this time without mistakes despite having all the responsibility of McLaren on his shoulders. This time it didn’t weigh on him as much as the backpack of fighting for the Drivers’ title against Verstappen did. He was able to win with authority to bring back glory and some good millions to McLaren

Leclerc exhibition: podium after starting 19th

Ferrari fought everything, but it was an impossible mission. Carlos Sainz said goodbye to Ferrari with second place and Charles Leclerc was able to maximize the team’s result with an amazing comeback, worthy of a future champion, which led him to finish 3rd. If Norris fails and Sainz passes Norris, the Constructors’ title goes to Ferrari. But that mistake never came.

Leclerc started his comeback with an incredible start where he went from 19th position to 8th.. He made it simple, like someone playing ‘play’ and putting it in easy mode, catching most of the drivers from behind in the first corners. The Monegasque also benefited from the craziness of the first round.

Farewell to disaster for Pérez, Colapinto, Magnussen and Bottas

On that first lap, Bottas caught Pérez and ‘Checo’ had to retire in his probable farewell to F1 and Red Bull. Although this was not the only disaster of the day, as Bottas would eventually puncture and bid farewell to F1, taking Magnussen with him. Furthermore, Colapinto bid farewell to his good chance at F1 having to abandon it after a touch by Piastri.

Alonso, goodbye in 2024 in the points

Fernando Alonso set the goal to have as much fun as possible, without losing anything, to get points in the last race of the year and thus say goodbye in the best possible way to a 2024 that he wants to erase from memory because of the poor performance of his Aston Martin. He expects more than 2025, and before facing it, he wants to say goodbye to points. And he did it. The Spaniard has done the seemingly impossible by placing his car 8th in qualifying. At the start he gained two positions in the accident of Piastri and Verstappen, but throughout the race, the better speed of the better cars prevailed and this led him to fight for 9th place at the end of the event.

Alonso was 9th after his second stop by overtaking Albon on track. Piastri, after the first incident and a 10″ penalty, was close to 3 seconds with two laps remaining, but the Spaniard was able to defend that position to finish in 9th place. Now it’s time to think about 2025.