Curtains closed on the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP under the backdrop of the city skyline and fireworks. Lando Norris was triumphant in the season-ending race claiming his fourth win of the season, helping his team secure the constructor’s title after 26 years. Lewis Hamilton bid farewell to Mercedes by fishing fourth in the last race for the team.
Abu Dhabi GP Top 10 positions.
It was a double podium finish for Ferrari. Charles Leclerc started the race from P13 after getting a 10-place grid penalty. He drove masterfully and finished just behind teammate Carlos Sainz. George Russel lost his fourth Position to teammate Lewis Hamilton on the final lap.
Drivers’ champion Verstappen finished sixth after being penalized due to his crash with Piastri. On the other hand, Australian recovered from this crash and managed to stay in the top 10. Pierre Gasly seventh for Alpine, Nico Hülkenberg eighth for Haas, and Fernando Alonso ninth for Aston Martin.
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Lando Norris Leads Mclarren to Team Title
Mclaren and Ferarri were dueling for the team title and Abu Dhabi GP was the last round of this battle. Coming to the race Papya team was a favorite as they were 21 points ahead of competitors and occupied the first two positions on the grid.
Things quickly changed for Mclarren as Max Verstappen crashed with Oscar Piastri and both cars spun around on the very first lap. With Piastri virtually out of the race, it was up to Norris to carry himself and the team to the finish line.
Lando Norris did this with flying colors he held the position and gave something to personnel in Papya Clad to celebrate. It was the team’s first constructors’ title since 1998. The last time the Woking base outfit had something worth celebrating was in 2008 when Lewis Hamilton won the driver’s title 2008.
“It feels incredible. Not for myself but for the whole team,” said Norris, who joined the team as a rookie back in 2019. “They have done an amazing job from where we were at the beginning.”For us to win the Constructors’ Championship after 26 years is pretty special.” He added.
Team boss Zack Brown was equally delighted and shared his opinion. He acknowledged Norris’s contributions and said he “carried us” over the winning line. “To not make any mistakes, and we were worried about Safety Cars, I was worried about everything, and he drove flawlessly,” said the McLaren chief executive. “So next, try to repeat constructors’ and get the drivers’. I’ll let Oscar and Lando figure that one out!”
Lewis Hamilton says Goodbye to Mercedes
The Abu Dhabi GP marked Lewis Hamilton’s final race as a Mercedes driver. During the race, Hamilton overtook his teammate George Russell on the last lap and finished in fourth place. As soon as Hamilton stepped out of his car, the crowd began chanting his name. He knelt beside his car to acknowledge the fans.
He went to his garage and thanked everybody there and thanked all the team. This gesture was kind and generous and was cherished. He spoke to a long-time race engineer Peter Bonnington his words were genuine, kind, and profound.
“We dreamed alone, but together we believed,” Hamilton said. “Thank you for all the courage, the determination, the passion, and for seeing me and supporting me. What started as a leap of faith turned into a journey into the history books. We did everything together and I’m so grateful to everyone. From the bottom of my heart; all the best. I love you.”
These sentiments were reciprocated by the team as Toto Wolf said “That was the drive of a world champion,” he said. “We love you, you are always going to be part of our family and if we can’t win, you should win.”
Last F1 Appearances
Some of the drivers were racing F1 for the last time during the Abu Dhabi GP. Sauber’s Veletari Bottas and Zohou Guyanu were in action on the F1 track for the last time. Haas’s Kevin Mangunseen also drove for the last time as an F1 driver.
Franco Colapinto, Liam Lawson, and Sergio Perez are the drivers left with an uncertain future there is a high chance that they might not be on next year’s grid.
The 2024 F1 season concluded with a spectacular race under the floodlights of Yas Maria Circuit.
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