F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: McLaren on course for Constructors’ Championship with 1-2 race start

F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will start the last race of the season from the front row

Lando Norris will lead the pack at the Abu Dhabi GP

Heading into the last race of the 2024 F1 season in Abu Dhabi, McLaren was more or less assured of the Constructors’ Championship if even one of its drivers takes the checkered flag first. The Constructor is currently 21 points ahead of nearest rival Ferrari, and the latter needed both its drivers in the top 5 and the bonus point for fastest lap for a shot at the title.

After qualifying, though, Ferrari’s chances look very slim. Carlos Sainz Jr is in the second row behind the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, but Charles Leclerc is far behind, after being given a 10-place penalty. Leclerc has the likes of Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso, George Russell, Sergio Perez, among others, ahead of him, so making considerable advances and making it to the top 5 is going to be quite the task for him.

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At the end of qualifying the top 10 for the last race of 2024 was as follows: Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Carlos Sainz Jr, Nico Hulkenberg, Max Verstappen, Pierre Gasly, George Russell, Fernando Alonso, Valtteri Boltas and Sergio Perez.

Verstappen has already defended his Drivers’ Championship title, and his team will end up third, but Norris is on course to getting his team the title on December 8, as well as settling as runner-up in the Drivers’ Championship. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be streamed live on FanCode at 6.30 pm.

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The 2025 racing calendar has been announced and will kick off in Australia in March and not Bahrain owing to the Ramadan season. There will be 24 races yet again, with some changes in team compositions coming up. Lewis Hamilton will lead the Ferrari charge along with Leclerc next year, as Carlos Sainz moves to Williams.

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