END OF YEAR REPORT: McLaren – A first constructors' title in 26 years, but can a drivers’ championship follow next year?

The 2024 season may have culminated in Abu Dhabi with the “worst two hours” of McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown’s life, but boy was it worth it. The Papaya squad are well and truly back having secured their first constructors’ crown in 26 years, while Lando Norris put up an admirable challenge to Max Verstappen in the drivers’ championship. It represents a simply stunning turnaround for a team that began the 2023 season towards the back of the grid. Here is their end of year report…

Best finish

Lando Norris – 1st in Miami, Zandvoort, Singapore and Abu Dhabi; Oscar Piastri – 1st in Hungary and Azerbaijan

This was the year Norris finally achieved that long-awaited maiden F1 win at the Miami Grand Prix – those jubilant scenes still etched into the memories of everyone associated with McLaren.

With those Sochi 2021 memories permanently banished, Norris seized the initiative and went on to score more victories in Zandvoort and Singapore, while his superb triumph in the season finale secured McLaren their constructors’ title.

It is undoubtedly a year the Briton can look back on with pride, having gone toe to toe with Verstappen in the drivers’ championship for much of the season, but there will still be a hint of missed opportunities – events in Silverstone, Austria and Monza are just a few examples that spring to mind.

Let’s also not forget Oscar Piastri in all of this either. In just his second F1 season, the Australian secured his first two Grand Prix wins – his triumph in Baku was particularly skilful thanks to his stunning overtake and defence against Charles Leclerc – while his consistency played a significant part in seeing the Woking outfit take the constructors’.

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 05: Race winner Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren celebrates with his — Norris secured his maiden F1 win in Miami

Qualifying head-to-head

Norris 20-4 Piastri

Norris comfortably outperformed his less experienced team mate in qualifying this season, with the Briton scoring eight pole positions in 2024 (the same number as Verstappen).

But that’s not to say Piastri wasn’t on-song in qualifying either – the Australian started outside the top 10 of a Grand Prix only once this season (17th in Mexico). He may not have a Grand Prix pole to his name, but his Sprint pole in Brazil shows exactly what he is capable of when it all comes together.

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Race head-to-head

Norris 16-8 Piastri

While Norris made a habit of taking pole position this year, keeping the lead on Lap 1 proved to be something of an Achilles' heel.

For example, had he not lost the lead to his team mate in Monza and Hungary (to name just two) then this could have been even more stacked in his favour.

But that doesn’t take away from the stellar performances the 25-year-old has shown this season, and it bodes well for more victories next season as he looks to challenger for drivers’ championship honours once more.

BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - SEPTEMBER 15: Race winner Oscar Piastri of Australia and McLaren celebrates on — Piastri was also a two-time Grand Prix winner in 2024

Best moment

While Norris’s Miami victory produced many an emotional scene, you can’t beat the victory celebrations in Abu Dhabi when it was finally confirmed McLaren had won their first constructors’ title since 1998.

Once again the Briton’s skill at the wheel helped seal the deal, with team mate Piastri knocked down the order in the season finale thanks to a collision with Verstappen at the first corner – an incident that hardly helped ease Brown’s heart rate.

But despite missing his rear gunner, Norris kept his composure to control proceedings up front at the Yas Marina Circuit even with the two Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc bearing down on him in second and third.

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Worst moment

There are some justifiable candidates here, with Norris missing out on victory in Silverstone – where McLaren acknowledged they got their strategy wrong – and also in Austria following his collision with Verstappen. But we’re going to go for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

It had all been going so well in Brazil. Norris’s title chances were handed an initial boost thanks to his team mate gifting him the Sprint win, while the Briton took pole in the wet conditions on Sunday morning, with Verstappen only 17th on the grid.

Every F1 fan knows what happened next of course – Verstappen would rise from P17 to win in a chaotic, rain-affected race, while Norris could only finish sixth.

On one rainy Sao Paulo afternoon the Briton’s championship hopes went from well and truly on to essentially over.

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 08: Race winner Lando Norris of Great Britain and — McLaren sealed their first constructors' title since 1998

Going forward

Going into 2024, McLaren didn’t see themselves as championship contenders, but thanks to their upgrades they lifted themselves post-Miami into having arguably the best car on the grid.

With 2025 on the horizon, the team now need to go into the new season with a different mentality – believing they can challenge in both championships right from the off.

That’s the least Norris will expect. The Briton – and the team – will need to learn from the errors and inexperience this year to target Verstappen’s stranglehold on the drivers’ championship.

With two top drivers operating consistently in Norris and Piastri, and the ‘unbelievable’ leadership of Team Principal Andrea Stella, they are more than ready to do just that. But can they cope with the expectation that will be coming their way? Time will tell.