F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: McLaren for the win or Ferrari? Here’s what’s at stake for the two teams

F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Only 21 points separate the two Constructors, heading into the last race of the season

What McLaren and Ferrari managed at the Qatar Grand Prix

When McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris secured a 1-2 finish in the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint Race, it seemed that the team was looking at securing the Constructors’ Championship with a similar result in the race too. But that was not to be, with Drivers’ Champion Max Verstappen taking the checkered flag ahead of the rest of the pack, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr took second and 6th place. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri came in third, but Lando Norris could muster only 2, finishing 10th.

What this result did was that McLaren and Ferrari’s gap was cut down to 21 points heading into the last race in Abu Dhabi, while Norris and Leclerc are only 8 points apart in their fight for Drivers’ Championship runner-up.

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What McLaren and Ferrari need to win the Constructors’ Championship

If Norris or Piastri wins in Abu Dhabi, and both the Ferrari drivers Leclerc and Sainz account for 2nd and 3rd place, McLaren would still be able to seal the deal. However, if Leclerc and Sainz take 1-2 in Abu Dhabi, both Piastri and Norris will need top 5 finishes and the bonus point for fastest lap to get their team to the finish line.

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Since Ferrari is 21 points behind McLaren, it will not only need a 1-2 finish, but also a scenario in which McLaren gets no more than 12 points put together from both its drivers. A Ferrari win in Abu Dhabi will also mean that in the event of a tie, it will take the title on account of having most wins. Both teams are currently tied at 5 wins a piece.

However, if, say, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen were to win the race, and then McLaren and Ferrari end up in a tie, the title will then be decided on the number of second place results for the teams. And there, McLaren has the clear advantage, having 10 P2’s, against Ferrari’s 4.

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