McLaren CEO Zak Brown appeared to take a subtle jab at Max Verstappen after Lando Norris’ dominant victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix secured McLaren’s first Constructors’ Championship in 26 years—their last triumph coming in 1998.
The season’s finale at Yas Marina was filled with tension as McLaren and Ferrari battled fiercely for the championship, with the title undecided until the final lap. Adding to the drama was an incident between Verstappen and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, which nearly forced the Red Bull driver out of the race.
Ferrari’s challenge was further strengthened by Charles Leclerc’s stunning recovery drive from P19 to P3 and Carlos Sainz finishing in second place. With Piastri struggling in the midfield, McLaren’s hopes rested on Lando Norris, who delivered an exceptional performance. Starting from pole position, Norris led the race flawlessly and crossed the finish line nearly six seconds ahead of Sainz, avoiding any errors or late surprises from his rivals.
During the cooldown lap, Brown couldn’t resist a playful nod to Verstappen’s trademark post-race phrase, “Simply lovely,” which the Dutchman often uses after wins. Over the team radio, Brown told Norris:
“Lando, you are awesome.
“We love you. Thank you. Thank you for an awesome year.
“That was simply lovely.”
This season, McLaren emerged as Red Bull’s strongest challenger, capitalizing on their rivals’ mid-season struggles. Red Bull faced balance issues with the RB20 and diminishing performance gains under the evolving ground-effect regulations. McLaren seized the championship lead from Red Bull in Baku and fended off a late-season challenge from Ferrari, which culminated in a dramatic showdown in Abu Dhabi. McLaren entered the final race with a 21-point lead over Ferrari, but the pressure was immense.
Reflecting on the nail-biting 58-lap race, Brown admitted to Sky Sports F1:
“That was the worst two hours of my life, by far!
“I mean, Lando drove brilliantly. It was unfortunate what happened to Oscar at the start, but the team was flawless. The pit stops were perfect. I think I was the only one about ready to have a heart attack for two hours.”
Praising Norris’ exceptional drive under immense pressure, Brown added:
“That race, he carried us.
“Not making any mistakes. We were worried about safety cars—I was worried about everything. But he drove flawlessly, as he’s done all year.
“Next up, we’ll aim to defend the constructors’ title and go for the drivers’ championship. I’ll let Oscar and Lando figure that one out.”
McLaren’s resurgence this season has marked a significant shift in the F1 landscape, with Norris and Piastri emerging as key players while Red Bull grapples with its diminishing dominance.
