Race Notes - Norris wins, McLaren takes Constructors

By Mark Karp

Lando Norris in the McLaren-Mercedes won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from pole, with the team winning the Constructors Championship over Ferrari.

Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari finished second, 5.832 seconds behind the winner. Charles Leclerc, starting his Ferrari form 19th, finished third, 31.928 seconds behind the winner.

Norris scored his fourth victory of the season, and finished second in the Driver Championship, Leclerc finishing third.

The Constructors Championship is McLaren's ninth, and it's first since 1998.

Lewis Hamilton (36.483s), after starting 16th, finished fourth in his Mercedes GP, followed by his team mate George Russell (37.538s) was fifth, Max Verstappen (49.847s) in the Red Bull-Honda was sixth, Pierre Gasly (1m12.5560s) in the Alpine-Renault was seventh, Nico Hulkenberg (1m15.554s) in the Haas-Ferrari was eighth, Fernando Alonso (1m22.373s) in the Aston Martin-Mercedes was ninth and Oscar Piastri (1m23.821s) in the second McLaren took the final point in tenth place.

Before the start of the 24th and final Norris sits on pole with his team mate Piastri alongside on the front row, Sainz and Verstappen on row 2, Gasly and Russell on row 3, Hulkenberg with a grid penalty and Alonso on row 4, and Bottas and Perez rounding out the top ten. Hamilton starts 16th, Leclerc will start 19th.

All drivers starting on medium tyres except Hamilton on hard tyres starting 16th.

McLaren is in a strong position with a 21 lead to take the Constructors World Championship, which it hasn't won in 26 years.

At the appointed time with the sun going down, the drivers came to the grid on the formation lap, the lights went off and the race began with Norris goes into the lead, Piastri and Verstappen come together, Sainz into second with Gasly, Russell, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Magnussen, Leclerc, Stroll and Lawson following. Later in the lap Perez spins. The virtual safety car is out.

Perez is stranded and is out.

Leclerc is up to eighth, 11 places up from the start.

At the end of lap 3 the virtual safety car is over and the race resumes with Norris leading Sainz, Gasly, Russell, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Magnussen, Leclerc, Stroll, Verstappen tenth, Lawson, Hamilton, Bottas, Zhou, Albon, Tsunoda and Doohan.

Colapinto pits with a puncture. Piastri pits for new tyres and runs 18th.

Verstappen is given a 10-second penalty for causing contact with Piastri at the start.

Bottas is given a 10-second penalty for coming together with Perez.

On lap 7 Bottas pits. Leclerc passes Magnussen for seventh.

Currently Ferrari is set to score 24 points, if something happens with Norris, Ferrari could still pass McLaren in points.

Norris sets fast lap at 1m28.860s.

On lap 10 Leclerc passes Alonso for sixth place.

Piastri is given a penalty for touching Colapinto earlier.

Hamilton is battling Lawson for 11th.

Hamilton passes Lawdon for ninth.

Magnussen pits.

Leclerc passes Hulkenberg for fifth.

On lap 14 Hulkenberg pits for hard tyres and rejoins 11th.

On lap 15 Gasly pits from third for hard tyres and rejoins. ninth.

Verstappen complains about his front tyres.

Zhou is given a 5-second penalty for jumping the start.

Leclerc is closing on Russell in third.

Gasly and Tsunoda are battling over eighth, Gasly taking the place.

At lap 20 Norris leads Sainz by 4.0 seconds, followed by Russell (16.9s), Leclerc (18.0s), Verstappen (23.1s), Hamilton (28.1s), Lawson (35.6s), Gasly (38.4s), Hulkenberg (41.9s) and. Tsunoda (44.2s) in tenth.

On lap 21 Leclerc pits from fourth for hard tyres and rejoins eighth.

On lap 23 Doohan and Tsunoda both p Lawson pits.

On lap 25 Lawson is saying he has a loose wheel, and he pits again.

On lap 26 Sainz pits from second for hard tyres and rejoins third.

On lap 27 Norris pits from the lead for hard tyres and he rejoins still in the lead.

Russell pits for hard tyres and rejoins seventh.

Russell passes Gasly for sixth.

Sainz sets fast lap at 1m28.177s.

Colapinto retires in the pits.

Lawson is given a penalty for an unsafe release.

Verstappen pits third and rejoins tenth.

On lap 31 Magnussen and Bottas make contact. Magnussen continues, Bottas pits.

Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m28.088s.

On lap 33 Piastri pits, serves his penalty and rejoins 15rh.

Magnussen sets fast lap at 1m27.235s.

On lap 35 Hamilton pits for medium tyres and rejoins seventh.

At lap 36 Norris leads Sainz by 2.5 seconds, followed by Leclerc (22.6s), Russell (26.0s), Gasly (34.5s), Hulkenberg (36.8s), Hamilton (43.6s), Verstappen (46.1s), Alonso (47.0s), and Albon (56.0s) in tenth place.

On lap 38 Alonso pits for a second time for hard tyres and rejoins 12th.

Piastri passes Stroll for 14th.

On lap 40 Hamilton passes Hulkenberg for sixth.

Stroll passes Doohab fir 13th.

On lap 42 Hamilton passes Gasly for fifth.

At lap 45 Norris leads Sainz by 4.8 seconds, followed by Leclerc (27.1s), Russell (31.0s), Hamilton (43.1s), Gasly (49.1s), Verstappen (49.8s), Hulkenberg (52.6s), Albon (1m09.5s) and Tsunoda (1m18.2s) in tenth.

Verstappen passes Gasly for sixth.

On lap 46, Alonso passes Tsunoda for tenth.

Piastri in 12th runs wide but continues.

On lap 48 Piastri passes Tsunoda for 11th, but Tsunoda comes back and retakes the place.

On lap 49 Piastri tries again and takes 11th.

On lap 52 Alonso passes Albon for ninth.

Zhou passes Doohan for 14tth.

On lap 53 Piastri passes Albon for tenth.

On lap 55 with 3 laps to go, Norris leads Sainz by 7.3 seconds, with Leclerc third, 30.3 seconds behind.

On lap 57 Hamilton has closed up on Russell in fourth.

Lawson has pulled off at turn six and retires with a smoking car.

On the final lap Hamilton passes on the outside of Russell and takes fourth place.

At the checkered flag Norris wins over Sainz and Leclerc - McLaren takes the Constructors Championship.

After the race Hamilton does doughnuts, celebrating his time with Mercedes GP, having scored 84 wins, 78 poles and 153 podium finishes.