Abu Dhabi, it's Andrea Stella's redemption: McLaren constructors' champion. Leclerc's comeback not enough

But today the spectacle of the grand prix was beautiful, pleasant, intoxicating. A start with a bang was expected and it was there, but without any serious consequences. With a front row all for the so-called 'papayas' there was little to do but be aggressive. And for once it must be acknowledged that Verstappen, not without some personal gain, indirectly tried to favour Ferrari with an aggressive start that targeted the Woking duo. There was then immediate contact on Piastri, where Max had full 'right of way' because Piastri gave him so much space and did not consider the need to protect himself from contact between the wheels of different axles of the two single-seaters. The Red Bull was on top and out to the middle of his car: he had seen it coming, the always hungry and implacable champion. He must have dreamed it at night that it was happening. But so be it, young and less tough, the less experienced Piastri insisted on closing in late when the clash was inevitable, but he could have easily avoided it. He lost out because he touched his drive wheels: he jumped like a cricket, spun and lost a lot of positions, while the four-time world champion stole his position by running towards Norris.

But Verstappen was given a ten-second penalty, leaving many astonished, as for once it was not a matter of the Dutchman's 'usual' aggression going beyond the limits of decency, it just looked like a normal racing incident. The mistake was obvious that it was Piastri's, even logical: considering that there is a constructors' world championship at stake, he would have done better to let his colleague pass and then catch him afterwards, as he had shown he was faster for a long time. So Piastri is not very defensible. Max, if at all, could have been given attention because he later said on the radio "stupid idiot" after 'paying' that penalty and, to a colleague, "I'll put you in the wall": the federation then inexplicably ignored an insult to itself but further demonstrated that it has a short memory and different yardsticks for judgement depending on the situation. After the controversy over excessive severity in the new and inexperienced race director a week ago and the president's stiffening, Fia is not exactly making a good impression in front of the world in judging drivers and teams.

As fate would have it, however, Piastri also took ten seconds for colliding with Colapinto. And, later, even Bottas: a pity because it was his last career race as a starter (next year it seems he will only be a reserve driver) and he started with a fine ninth.

Incidents aside, the start of this race also saw a sparkling start from Leclerc, who even managed to overtake five colleagues in one corner. Hamilton struggled from the bottom similarly and, having come up against his box-mate, even managed to pull fourteen seconds off him in the last ten laps.

After the impregnable Ferrari at sixteen, they are now nine apiece, tied with McLaren and Williams: who knows if Frank would have imagined that happening during this technical cycle of which he still experienced the beginning before illness gradually extinguished him. Then Mercedes eight and Red Bull six. The constructors' championship is something important, fundamental, since the days of Enzo and Bruce. And this year, forgetting the missed opportunity for the Reds, there is however an important Italian note. Not from the bottom, but from the top. A great merit. And a great personal redemption.

Born in Orvieto fifty-three years ago, engineer Andrea Stella, the McLaren team principal who was a direct witness at Abu Dhabi to the unforgettable and 'still hot' defeat of Alonso (who, at the microphones of Italian television acknowledges that today the track 'gives him back what he didn't get then'), at the Emirates track represents the Italian side of McLaren's return to the top of the Constructors' Championship. The last time, sixteen years ago, it was Hamilton who took the team ahead of everyone (only among the drivers), when the circus still ended in Brazil. However, this is not the first time that the McLaren galaxy has given space and success to excellent Italian technicians coming out of Maranello. The house of Woking was also welcoming for Rodi Basso who, after experiencing some of the best years of its history in the days of Schumacher and Barrichello, flew to Surrey to head the important McLaren Applied Technologies which, starting from the technologies and knowledge acquired in the world of motor racing, also brings innovation to other sectors, from transport to automotive to boating.

With his fourth win of the season and a race where he did his 'homework' well from the first lap to the last (pole, leading from start to finish), Norris was at his best, leading his single-seater to victory in the most important race and the most important world championship in the entire four-wheel universe. Like the excellent non-champions: when the pressure is off, his mind becomes clearer and he is able to give his best.

The year 2024 will be remembered for the farewell of some veterans and the entry of several youngsters on probation and starters, while 2025 will see the two most eagerly awaited entrants in the world, both because of their 'competitive calibre' but also because they both speak Italian.

Liam Lawson's seat is already at risk (today he parked his Emilian single-seater in flames on the last lap), while Briatore is still not entirely sure of the potential of Mick Doohan's son-in-law, the unforgettable motorbike champion of the two-stroke Honda era, capable of winning in the 500cc class even after a leg operation that made it impossible for him to use the brake pedal.

The spotlight is on rising stars with 'maximum' potential. Although from the main breeding ground, Formula 2, not all of them have made it to the top division in the last ten years. Gasly, Leclerc, Russell and Piastri are active and forward-looking. Drugovich and Pourchaire, rainbowed in 2022 and 2023, on the other hand, have hardly been heard of. But in 2024 Gabriele Bortoleto has just been named champion (in the best possible way, as the outgoing 2023 Formula 3 champion). He is very strong on the track but also possesses a characteristic that has been missing for many years in this sport and that many are missing: he is Brazilian and, as mentioned, already speaks Italian well. So it was easy for him to find a seat in the Audi universe. He will join the Swiss stable alongside Hulkemberg after Binotto chose to relieve Bottas and Zhou.

Bitter instead is the end, for the time being, of the Argentinean Colapinto: he ends with a retirement his 2024 experience, which seemed more than positive given the first points conquered very quickly on his debut as a 'substitute' and with little preliminary preparation. But on the other hand, he did too much damage and put his financially strapped team in trouble to supply him with the necessary spares until the last race. With his five world championship points, however, he leaves the top series for the moment better off than several of his colleagues lower down in the standings: Zhou and Lawson are on four, Bottas and Sergeant on zero. To be fair though, better than him is still Bearman, who in only three races had scored five points, including six at Jeddah.

Of all of them, Bottas' off-track and off-stage crash, with a braking blocking incident, also ramming an innocent Hulkemberg - also in his twilight years in Formula 1. But ten wins, twenty poles, two-time world vice-champion, were not enough for him to score a single point with Sauber in all of 2024. Not even a satisfaction for his swan song, but the team's potential is so low this year that there was nothing to offer him: it had gone much better for Ricciardo who, at least, had been able to take the satisfaction of setting the fastest lap in his last race, in Singapore, especially now that he is being highly valued with the Dhl Fastest Lap Award.

Last but not least, 2025 will certainly see the return of an Italian even in a top team: it is Kimi Antonelli who will replace Hamilton on one of the four most coveted seats in the club.