The Woking-based team clinched the Constructors’ title for the ninth time in history, the likes of which it had not done since 1998, since Mika Hakkinen and David Coultrard.
For the Prancing Horse, the run-up was complex given the 21 points to be recovered on the eve of the race, and with Leclerc’s 19th place on the starting grid.
The red car believed in it especially after the contact at the start between Verstappen and Piastri who in the end finished in tenth position, overtaking Albon in the final stages of the race and winning a point.
As for the drivers’ standings, Red Bull had already won the world title with Max Verstappen.
Leclerc: “I did my best, I was hoping for the title with Sainz”
“I knew I had to be aggressive on the first lap to be in a good position for the rest of the race. We succeeded but we were too far behind to do more. We did our best, unfortunately it wasn’t enough and that hurts.” This is what Charles Leclerc said after his third place after the race in Dhabi.
“Unfortunately, after such a hard-fought season until the end, we narrowly missed the target,” continued the Ferrari Monegasque. At the beginning of the year things weren’t going well, then they improved and with Sainz we did really well. I hoped to end these 4 years together with the constructors’ title. A disappointment”.
McLaren’s Lando Norris finishes first in qualifying at the Yas Marina circuit for the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Oscar Piastri was second and Carlos Sainz third in a Ferrari. Charles Leclerc is eliminated in Q2 due to track limits and will start in last position in the last GP of the season due to the ten-place penalty.
The starting grid
The starting grid for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, scheduled over the 58 laps of the Yas Marina circuit for the twenty-fourth and final round of the Formula One World Championship:
1. Lando Norris (McLaren)
2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
4. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
5. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
6. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
7. George Russell (Mercedes)
8. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
9. Valtteri Bottas (Kick Sauber)
10. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
11. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)
12. Liam Lawson (RB)
13. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
14. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
15. Guanyu Zhou (Kick Sauber)
16. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
17. Jack Doohan (Alpine)
18. Alexander Albon (Williams), five places penalised
19. Franco Colapinto (Williams), penalized five positions
20. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), penalised ten places
Having kept hope alive in the sands of Qatar by cancelling out McLaren’s match point, now the Prancing Horse just has to push the accelerator to try a historic overtaking move right at the last corner. 21 points behind the British team, Ferrari will play for the chance to bring back a Constructors’ title that has been missing since 2008 (with Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa) on Sunday in Abu Dhabi with the Leclerc-Sainz pairing – for the last time before separating.
For Sainz it will be the last performance in red and the desire to end an experience that began in 2021 on a high note is an extra incentive to try to increase the regrets of a team that for 2025 has preferred the veteran champion Lewis Hamilton
The undertaking, however, appears complicated given the large advantage that McLaren has still managed to bring as a dowry before the final act that will close a season in chiaroscuro for the ‘reds’.
And a ‘double’ from the Prancing Horse may not even be enough to mathematically secure the title. In that case both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri must finish off the podium (with and without McLaren’s fastest lap) and if the Ferraris finish second and third, both cars must achieve a placement between 7th and 8th place or worse.
Everything, therefore, will not depend only on how the Prancing Horse behaves. The “team principal” of the ‘reds’ Fred Vasseur himself is aware of the difficulty but still has room for manoeuvre to be able to end the year with a smile.
Fred Vasseur: “Challenges are in Ferrari’s DNA and so we want to try”
“For the first time since F1 entered its hybrid era, we managed to get to fight for a title at the last race. This is an important milestone and this weekend we will try to do even more,” said Vasseur before the GP of truth.
“Of course, we have to be realistic, we are mathematically in the race, but the title is very difficult to achieve because, even if we were to finish first and second, it might not be enough,” he added, “given that McLaren has a 21-point lead and could settle for a third and a fifth place. Challenges, however, are in Ferrari’s DNA and so we want to try. We have prepared thoroughly for this event, we know that qualifying will play a key role and that our car is more efficient in the race. Charles, Carlos and the whole team will give every last drop of sweat to try and bring home the title,” concluded Vasseur.