Lando Norris Ends McLaren’s 26-Year F1 Title Drought in Abu Dhabi Thriller 🏆 - 🌍NewspaperAmigo

Lando Norris burned rubber into the history books this weekend, securing McLaren’s first Formula 1 constructors’ championship since 1998 with a dominant victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The 24-year-old Brit led from lights out to checkered flag, capping a season that saw McLaren rise from midfield underdogs to title titans.

Norris’s win wasn’t just a solo triumph—teammate Oscar Piastri fought back from a first-lap collision with Max Verstappen to snatch a critical championship point. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished second and third, but their efforts fell short as McLaren clinched the title by a nail-biting 14-point margin.

\"You all deserve this,\" Norris shouted over team radio, his voice cracking with emotion. \"Next year’s going to be my year too!\"

The race also marked emotional farewells: Lewis Hamilton ended his Mercedes era with a daring last-lap overtake on teammate George Russell, while Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu finished 13th in his final outing with Kick Sauber.

Red Bull’s Verstappen—already crowned drivers’ champion last month—faced karma with a 10-second penalty for the Piastri clash, finishing sixth. Meanwhile, McLaren made history as the first customer team (using Mercedes engines) to win the constructors’ crown in F1’s hybrid era.