P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren is on the cusp of a first F1 constructors’ title since Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard in 1998 – and can win it in the Qatar Grand Prix.
McLaren boss Andrea Stella views winning the 2024 constructors’ title as a significant “milestone” for the team in what he describes as an “unprecedented” season. With a 30-point lead over Ferrari before the Qatar Grand Prix, McLaren aims to secure its first constructors’ title since 1998 and first championship since Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 win if they out-score Ferrari by 15 or more points. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, starting third and fourth, collected maximum points in the sprint, while Ferrari’s Leclerc and Sainz lagged behind in fifth and seventh at Lusail. In a historic first, McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes have all secured multiple wins in 2024, with most drivers from these teams achieving the same, setting a new record. Stella believes the constructors’ championship victory would set McLaren up for a strong push for the drivers’ title, as it lays a concrete foundation for future success in the competition. He notes that the 2024 F1 season stands out due to its extraordinary level of competitiveness among multiple teams, a standard never witnessed before in the history of Grand Prix racing.
