Lando Norris aims to clinch the constructors' championship for McLaren with a victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, facing off against former teammate Carlos Sainz in Ferrari's final race of the season.

McLaren has secured a front-row lockout with Norris on pole and teammate Oscar Piastri in second. Ferrari needs to outscore McLaren by 21 points to claim the constructors' title, setting up an intense battle for the final race.

"We've got to beat Ferrari, and we want to do it in style," says Norris. "We're going to have a good chance, at least with one of our cars, and we'll be giving it everything we've got."

Despite leading qualifying, Norris acknowledges the session was challenging. "Quali was a bit of a struggle. Everyone caught up a lot, and we had to start pushing more," he reveals. Max Verstappen initially held provisional pole position after the first Q3 runs, forcing McLaren to find extra performance.

Norris describes his pole lap as "not the cleanest" but effective, mentioning a significant snap in Turn 9 that slightly compromised his time. However, he managed to "put the rest of it together pretty well" on a circuit he admits isn't easy to master.

The stage is set for an intense championship showdown, with Sainz eager to prove himself in his final Ferrari appearance before Lewis Hamilton takes his seat next season. Norris remains confident but cautious, acknowledging that "many things can happen" during the long race ahead.

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