December 6th 2024.
Lando Norris has been a key player in bringing McLaren to the brink of their first constructors' title since 1998. As the Formula 1 season finale approaches in Abu Dhabi this weekend, all eyes will be on the intense battle between McLaren and Ferrari for the coveted championship.
While Max Verstappen has already secured his fourth consecutive drivers' title last month in Las Vegas, there is still much at stake for the final race at the Yas Marina circuit. The constructors' championship may not hold the same level of prestige as the drivers', but it still plays a crucial role in determining how much prize money each team receives. In fact, a share of the estimated £1.2 billion is up for grabs.
Despite Verstappen's impressive triumph, it's a different story for Red Bull, whose teammate Sergio Perez has performed poorly throughout the season. As a result, Lando Norris and his McLaren team currently hold a narrow lead over Ferrari.
So, what are the scenarios for this year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix? Well, the maximum points a team can score is 44, and McLaren currently holds a 21 point lead over Ferrari. This means that there are several ways for McLaren to secure victory, but the simplest would be for one of their drivers - Norris or Oscar Piastri - to win the race. In this case, there would be nothing Ferrari could do to stop them.
The F1 scoring system is as follows: 25 points for first place, 18 points for second place, 15 points for third place, and so on. Additionally, one point is awarded to the driver with the fastest lap of the race, as long as they finish in the top 10. However, it's expected that Ferrari will be strong contenders at Yas Marina, and if their drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz secure a 1-2 finish, McLaren will need to finish either third and fourth or third and fifth to maintain their lead.
In the event that the two teams end up tied on points, the first tiebreaker is the number of wins throughout the season, followed by the number of second places, and so on. Currently, both teams have five wins, but McLaren has 10 second-place finishes compared to Ferrari's four.
In terms of the current standings, McLaren sits at the top with 640 points, followed closely by Ferrari with 619 points. Red Bull trails behind with 581 points, and Mercedes with 446 points. The rest of the rankings are as follows: Aston Martin with 92 points, Alpine with 59 points, Haas with 54 points, RB with 46 points, Williams with 17 points, and Sauber with 4 points.
Now, you may be wondering how F1 prize money works. Well, it's important to note that F1 drivers do not receive any prize money themselves. Instead, the cash comes solely from the constructors' championship, with every penny being put towards developing next year's car. As a result, the prize pot is made up of 50% of F1's commercial rights revenue for the season. In 2023, this amounted to an estimated £1.2 billion, but some deductions are made before the figure is split between the 10 teams. The winning team receives 14% of the pot, while the last-place team - which will most likely be Sauber this year - receives 6%. In 2023, Red Bull took home a whopping £106 million for winning the constructors' championship.
It's also worth mentioning that no matter who wins this year, it will be the first time since 2009 that neither Red Bull nor Mercedes has claimed the constructors' championship. Ferrari's last victory was back in 2008, although they were unable to win the drivers' title that year. In a dramatic turn of events, Sir Lewis Hamilton famously clinched the title on the last corner, of the last lap, of the last race in Brazil, beating out Felipe Massa.
For McLaren, this title has been a long time coming. Their last victory was in 1998, the same year that Mika Hakkinen won his first of two consecutive championships. As the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix approaches, fans can expect to see an intense battle unfold between McLaren and Ferrari.
For those wondering, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will take place from Friday, December 6 to Sunday, December 8. Live coverage of every session will be available on Sky Sports, with the race starting at 1pm UK time.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
