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Seven tenths is all that stood between McLaren becoming history-makers or runners up. The Constructors’ Championship may show that we finished 14 points ahead of Ferrari, but for 58 laps, which CEO Zak Brown described as the “worst two hours” of his life, it was only a matter of seconds.

Lando’s fourth win of the season ahead of Ferrari duo Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was enough to clinch our first Constructors’ Championship since 1998, capping off an extraordinary season, which included maiden wins for both our drivers and multiple broken records.

It was far from straightforward, though, as Max Verstappen collided with Oscar on the first corner of the first lap, which dropped the Australian from second to last. This left Lando, running in first, with a job on his hands to remain at the front of the field and secure the Constructors’ Championship ahead of Ferrari.

“I was worried about everything,” said Zak, speaking to Sky Sports F1. “Lando drove brilliantly. It is unfortunate what happened with Oscar at the start, but the team was flawless. The pit stop was great. I think I was the only one who was ready to have a heart attack for two hours. Lando, in this race, he carried us. To not make any mistakes… he drove flawlessly.”

Lando made history on the Saturday with his eighth Pole of the year and ninth overall, the third most of any McLaren driver and the highest number in a single season since Mika Häkkinen in 1999. It was a career-best season for the British driver, who finished second in the Drivers’ Championship and netted his first four wins - the most of any McLaren driver since 2012.

“Today was an incredible day for everyone,” Lando told F1TV. “So many nerves, so much pressure, especially after Turn 1 when Oscar was taken out. That put a lot more pressure on everyone. It was a tough race, as much as it was quite straightforward and simple. There was just one stop, and there weren’t really any Safety Cars or anything to mess things up, but the pressure was still there.

“Carlos [Sainz] was close behind the whole race. The pit stop is always where you get nervous, but the mechanics executed a perfect stop. Well done and thanks to them. I am just happy for the team. A lot of work, a lot of effort, a lot of hours, and a lot of years go into achieving this. This is not a small feat, this is a huge feat for everyone. It is a historic moment and for me to be a part of that is something I will remember forever.”

Although Oscar was disappointed to have been taken out of contention on the first lap, the Australian drove a determined race, recovering from last to 10th.

Finishing fourth in the Drivers’ Championship in only his second year, the Aussie is the fourth driver in history to have completed every single racing lap of an entire season - and he did so in F1’s longest-ever campaign. The Australian played a pivotal role in our best year since 2012, winning twice and finishing on the podium eight times.

“It is pretty easy to get over [the Turn 1 collision] when you win a Constructors’ World Championship,” Oscar told F1TV. “I am very, very proud of everybody. It has been a great season, a very tough season, a hard-fought year, but I am very excited and proud of the team.

“It is an incredible achievement. I am very, very proud of what we have been able to do. It has not been an easy road at all. I am just very, very proud of everybody. Very happy. Hopefully, this is the start of a lot of McLaren success.”

It was less than two years ago that we were battling at the back of the grid in the Bahrain Grand Prix, wondering where our next win would come from, but thanks to the remarkable efforts of the team, led by Andrea Stella, winning has become a regular occurrence, with six in total this season, our most since 2012.

Andrea joined McLaren in 2015 from Ferrari, who pushed us all the way to the title this year. Since joining as Head of Race Operations, the Italian has risen up the ranks, being promoted to Performance Director in 2018, and Executive Director, Racing, in 2019, before being named as our Team Principal in 2022. Andrea’s promotion has proven to be an inspired move from Zak, who was quick to hail his influence on the team. 

“Andrea Stella has done such a good job of leading this team,” said Zak. “He is an unbelievable leader. He is very technical, he empowers people, and he pushes everyone to get the best out of themselves, and that is what you saw tonight.”

McLaren versus Ferrari is F1’s longest-standing rivalry, and Andrea’s ties to the Scuderia only adds to the story. Discussing the title fight with his old team, Andrea told the media: "I want to congratulate Ferrari. It came down to details.

“Two teams operated and raced at an incredibly high level. Only one can win, and that's the harsh reality of sport, but Ferrari also deserved it. The two Ferrari drivers showed outstanding class - they were fantastic. I was right to fear them.”

Asked what was key to delivering McLaren’s first title in 26 years, Andrea said: "This is about investment in people. I've been with McLaren for 10 years, investing over the years. I've been fortunate. We've built a winning mindset and emotional resilience. It's the result of years of work. Many steps forward have been made. We are a mature group and reached the end with steady nerves.

“Zak Brown complements me. We complement each other perfectly. Our personal qualities allow us to bring out the best in one another, and we have great mutual trust." 

Our attention now turns to building on this success, with Zak eying a repeat in 2025, alongside what would be our first Drivers’ Championship since Lewis Hamilton 2008.

“Next, we will try and repeat the Constructors’ and try to get the Drivers’,” he said. “I’ll let Lando and Oscar figure that one out.”

Both drivers will feel that they can compete for the title next season. Discussing their performances in 2024, they both thought they’d improved massively from 2023, learning key lessons in what was their first-ever Formula 1 title battle.

“I fancied it already this year, but it was just a little too late,” Lando said. The Briton battled with Verstappen for the Drivers’ title, losing out in the penultimate round of the season in Qatar, and believes he’s now well-equipped to go one better next year.

“I definitely have things to improve and look back on, which I will try to correct and improve. Nevertheless, I think the thing I have l learned and gained the most this year is confidence in myself. It sounds very simple, but I have always been quite the opposite kind of guy. I always feel like I want to go out and prove it to myself, before I start believing something.

“The one thing I learnt was that I have what it takes. That is not an overconfident saying. That is, ‘I know I made mistakes, I know what I am capable of doing, and I know if I improve on these things, it is definitely possible’. As much as I want the season to end and as much as I want to go on a holiday, I am also really looking forward to next year.”

Despite only being two years into his F1 career, Oscar feels that he’s ready to fight for the title next season.

“I think this year has been a good step forward from my rookie season,” he said. “I still have some improvements to go, of course, but I feel like I made a lot of good steps forward this year. I can happily say that I am stronger now than I was 12 months ago. Now, the mission is to take that next step for next season. Hopefully, we’ve got a car that can fight for the World Championship from the very beginning, but I am in the best shape, ready to go.”

Follow all of the reaction to our Constructors’ Championship win on the official McLaren App.