Lando Norris gave his all in Abu Dhabi, securing McLaren their first constructor’s title since 1998. The race was not without drama: teammate Oscar Piastri was hit by Max Verstappen in the very first corner, forcing him to join from the back. Despite this setback, Norris remained focused and ensured that McLaren decided the historic battle with Ferrari in their favor.
Dramatic Start for Piastri
The race started promisingly for McLaren, with Norris and Piastri on the front row. But the hope for a dream scenario was quickly dashed. At the start, Max Verstappen tried to squeeze between Piastri and the apex of the first corner, resulting in a touch. Piastri spun out and had to join from the back. The incident immediately made the race more exciting. Both Ferrari drivers smelled their chance in the battle for the title. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were in P6 and P8 after the first round. Norris, who was leading, could not ignore what was happening behind him. “I saw on the screens that Charles was already in P8. That made me nervous, but I knew I had to keep my focus and run my own race,” Norris stated.
Focus
Norris was aware that Ferrari’s pressure was not far off. Sainz remained within four seconds of the McLaren driver during the first stint, which made Norris feel uneasy. “The 4.2-second gap felt too small,” he admitted. “It was a tough race, but I had to stay focused. For me, it’s easier because I’m in the car and I feel the adrenaline. For the team on the pit wall and in the garage, it was probably even more nerve-wracking.”
While Norris executed his job perfectly, the day was less smooth for Oscar Piastri. The Australian collided with Verstappen and then with Franco Colapinto’s Williams, which resulted in a ten-second time penalty. Nevertheless, Piastri fought his way back to tenth place, earning one point. “It was a shame for Oscar. Our goal was to achieve a one-two finish, not just for the title, but also to end the season strongly as a team. It wasn’t his fault, but he’s had a fantastic season. We’re going to celebrate this together. The whole team deserves this,” said Norris.
