Norris hails title-chasing McLaren’s ‘incredible story’

Lando Norris hailed McLaren’s “incredible story” after taking pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and putting the team on the verge of their first constructors’ title for 26 years.

McLaren lead Ferrari by 21 points heading into the final race of the season and Norris headed team-mate Oscar Piastri in a front-row lockout in qualifying at Yas Marina.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz qualified third, but his team-mate Charles Leclerc will start 19th after a difficult session.

There are a maximum of 44 points available in Sunday’s race, which starts at 13:00 GMT.

Norris, in second place, is eight points ahead of Leclerc in the drivers’ championship.

Norris, who has been with McLaren since he made his debut in F1 in 2019, paid tribute to the job done by McLaren Racing chief executive officer Zak Brown and team principal Andrea Stella to lead the team to their current position.

Norris said: “People have come and gone and Andrea has done an incredible job. To have been part of this incredible story not long after Zak joined and started turning things around, and made it a happier place to be, I have been on the journey with Zak. It has been a long rise. Which has been good fun.”

McLaren started last season at the back of the field but their form was transformed by a car upgrade mid-2023, which made them part of the pack of teams chasing runaway champions Red Bull last year.

Red Bull dominated the start of this season but another upgrade at the Miami race in May made McLaren consistent front-runners and they have remained there ever since.

Norris joined McLaren after a period in which they had slumped to the back of the field through the 2010s, and Stella was made team principal at the end of 2022, when their forward momentum of the previous three seasons had stalled.

Norris said: “We made progress, nothing clicked, or continued to grow, and it was hard to break that barrier of getting close to Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull, because for such a long period they have dominated F1.

“Not only have we broken that barrier, we have risen to the top of it, and being the best team and hopefully going on to win.

“I don’t think from the outside people would give enough credit because it is not an easy sport.

“To go from where we were to out-do Ferrari, who have turned things around a lot, and catch Red Bull and Max (Verstappen), who one year ago dominated every race, for that to flick around so much we can only give a hats off to the whole team.”

Norris said his greatest pleasure was that he had had the faith to stay at McLaren because he believed they would become front-runners, when he had the opportunity to go to other teams.

He did not say it, but Red Bull have previously offered him a drive.

Norris said: “I’ve really loved it and enjoyed it and the fact I am proudest and most happy about is the fact I am still here, because I believed in the team for many years.

“I had opportunities to not be in papaya and maybe go on and win races at an earlier stage of my career but I believed and I wanted to do it with McLaren, the guys who gave me my opportunity in F1.

“We were hoping for next year. We didn’t think it would be possible this year, and the fact we are doing it this year, I am proud to have been on this journey and I will be very happy when I hope it is finished off.”