Oscar Piastri's hopes of claiming a third race win in 2024 came unstuck on the first lap after being hit by Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen.
The Australian salvaged 10th after being shuffled to the back of the grid while teammate Lando Norris won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, sealing McLaren's first constructors' championship since 1998.
Starting second on the grid, Piastri hit by Verstappen at the first corner of Monday morning's (AEDT) race.
Verstappen appeared to suffer from understeer as he clattered in Piastri's McLaren.
Verstappen, who finished sixth, was handed a 10-second penalty for the shunt which ruined Pastri's race.
"Yep. Move of a world champion that one," a frustrated Piastri told his team radio.
Post-race, Piastri said Verstappen had approached him and apologised for the shunt.
"It was a pretty miserable race for myself," Piastri told Sky Sports.
"He came and apologised straight away and the stewards deemed it was a penalty, so, we go again next year."
Piastri finished the race on the lead lap, becoming just the fourth driver in the history of F1 to complete every lap of a season.
Only Michael Schumacher (2002), Lewis Hamilton (2019) and Verstappen (2023) have also managed that feat.
The race win for Lando Norris sealed the constructors' championship for McLaren, beating Ferrari by 14 points.
Piastri said he was proud of his team's accomplishments and believed the drivers' championship was his goal in 2025.
"Hopefully we can come out of the blocks strong next season and mount a challenge," he said.
"I still have some things to work on and improve, but I feel (this year) has been a good step up from my rookie season.
"Excited for a bit of a break first and then we go again and try and fight for both championships."
Meanwhile, fellow Australian Jack Doohan finished 15th on debut.
The son of motorcycle champion Mick was set to make his F1 debut at the start of next season, but Alpine made a late call to parachute the Aussie into the cockpit for the year's final race.
Doohan's teammate Pierre Gasly finished seventh, enough to secure sixth place in the constructors' championship ahead of Haas and RB.
