After the Finish Line: Yas Marina 2024

McLaren takes the Constructor's Championship in the final race of the year.

Abu Dhabi, the season finale, served as a farewell race for many drivers. Carlos Sainz drove for the final time with Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton with Mercedes, and Kevin Magnussen along with the Sauber duo bid a farewell to F1. So did Fanco Colapinto, at least for the foreseeable future.

A similar fate likely awaits Sergio Perez…

He Said She Said

A day before the green light signaled the start of the first practice session at the Yas Marina Circuit, the media were on cloud nine, their eyes likely sparkling from the numerous clicks generated by the blows Verstappen and Russell publicly exchanged.

During the post-race press conference in Qatar, the Dutchman vented his frustration with the Mercedes driver's behavior in the stewards' room the previous day. They had shared their perspectives on the incident between the two, which ultimately resulted in Verstappen losing his pole position.

According to Verstappen, Russell tried to force a penalty on him. Furthermore he described Russell as a two-faced individual who behaves differently when the cameras are not present.

The Mercedes driver hit back in Abu Dhabi. He accused Verstappen of swearing at the stewards, behaving like a bully who believes he can get away with murder, threatening to crash into him in Qatar, and not coping with adversity. Furthermore, Russell alleged that Verstappen’s angry rants in Hungary made his engineers to send CVs to different teams and hypothesized that Michael Masi would have feared for his life, if the Dutchman found himself in Hamilton’s skin in the 2021 season finale.

The part about swearing at the stewards is false, at least according to Sky Sports commentator David Croft. There is actually a straightforward way to find out whether Verstappen cursed during the meeting or not. Just ask the stewards. But who bothers himself with doing a proper journalistic job these days?

For the record, Verstappen denied threatening the Mercedes driver. So it’s basically word against another's.

Russell's refusal to back down was initially refreshing, but that changed once I read his comments. I was completely lost when he mentioned sending CVs, and bringing up Masi was the final straw. His behavior resembled that of a scorned woman intent on tarnishing her ex-boyfriend's reputation. It was cringeworthy.

To me, it looked like Verstappen had damaged Russell’s carefully polished image, that's why he responded in a highly agitated manner.

But that’s just me. And it’s safe to say that his message wasn’t directed at me, but rather at fans and pundits who are not particularly fond of the Dutchman. This is likely why he referenced Abu Dhabi 2021, even though it had no relevance to their conflict.

The Boy Delivers

Lando Norris won from pole and it was his best victory, given the race's circumstances. Oscar Piastri dropping back down the order after the first corner due to contact with Verstappen, and the Ferraris running 2nd and 3rd. The Brit had to deliver otherwise the Constructors' Championship would have gone to Maranello. And he did.

Norris flawlessly controlled the race from start to finish, built a safe, 4 second cushion to protect himself from the undercut by Sainz, his main rival that day. After the pit stop, he continued to outpace the Ferrari driver and successfully brought the car home.

Finishing the season on a high note will undoubtedly boost his morale after a season filled with missed opportunities. An upbeat Norris, feeling confident, announced that he aims to secure the drivers' championship in 2025. He has ample reasons to be optimistic.

Twenty-Six Years of Waiting

McLaren are the champions, having surpassed Ferrari by 14 points. The last time they secured the Constructors' Championship was in 1998, a year when their current drivers had not yet been born.

In 2022, at the onset of the new ground effect regulations nothing foreshadowed their return to glory. They were a midfield/best of the rest team who could only dream about competing with the cream of the crop.

Changes were made last year. Andrea Stella took the position of McLaren’s Team Principal and they have been on a rise ever since. The 2023 mid-season updates allowed them to regularly challenge for the podiums and this year’s Miami package turned their car into the standard of the field. From midfield to the top in just one and a half year. That’s a remarkable leap.

Seems like the cost cap works.