Scuderia Ferrari got here agonizingly near ending their 16-year drought in securing the Constructors’ Championship.
Heading into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Frederic Vasseur knew his group had a 21-point deficit to beat in the event that they had been to grab the title away from McLaren.
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc would have left the paddock on Saturday totally conscious of the immense problem forward after seeing Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri declare the front-row spots. For the Spanish driver, it was set to be his closing race with Ferrari, whereas Charles Leclerc brazenly acknowledged to the media that he was in dire want of a ‘miracle,’ along with his beginning place set for nineteenth on the grid. The Monegasque driver had been eradicated in Q2 on account of observe limits infringements on his flying lap and was additionally handed a 10-place grid penalty for an power retailer unit change.
Regardless of these setbacks, each drivers delivered stellar performances, ending second and third behind Norris. Nevertheless, Lando Norris’ victory was nonetheless sufficient to safe McLaren the Constructors’ Championship.
Former Formulation 1 driver David Coulthard praised Charles Leclerc for his flawless first lap, and Carlos Sainz couldn’t have finished extra earlier than making his transition to Williams’ automotive lower than 24 hours later.
On the F1 Technique Report Podcast, journalist Ben Anderson mentioned what Ferrari may have finished higher. He steered that Fred Vasseur would doubtless have been pissed off with one explicit division inside Ferrari, which may have price them the title. Ben Anderson pointed to the electronics group as a key space the place Ferrari’s efficiency could have fallen quick: “I imply, construct higher batteries, have higher battery reliability might be the one factor. I’m certain Fred Vassar might be hammering the engine division and the electronics division on that rating since you don’t wish to bust your allocation. You bust your allocation, you’re screwed.” – the F1 journalist defined.
“Until you’ll be able to take a tactical one in some unspecified time in the future earlier within the season. That’s what clearly Pink Bull did with the engine for Max and Spa. However that price him a win in that race. So, you recognize, it’s all about reliability on that rating. That will have meant then Charles Leclerc qualifies higher and so they can put Norris beneath extra strain within the race. But when Leclerc qualifies on the primary two or three rows, possibly he will get wrapped up within the Verstappen-Piastri state of affairs. So it’s very tough to form of extrapolate.” – Ben Anderson continued.
Ferrari is set to enhance their efficiency within the Constructors’ Championship with the arrival of Lewis Hamilton.
Carlos Sainz ended the season in fifth place within the Drivers’ Championship, simply two factors behind Oscar Piastri and 66 factors adrift of Charles Leclerc. Whereas evaluating the Spanish driver to Lewis Hamilton could appear unfair, it’s price noting that the seven-time world champion was outperformed by his teammate George Russell and completed 67 factors behind the Spaniard.
Eddie Jordan believes Ferrari ought to rethink Lewis Hamilton’s contract in an effort to retain Carlos Sainz, but it surely’s now too late for that.
The Ferrari group principal isn’t fearful about Lewis Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari subsequent yr. His performances in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi, significantly his racecraft, reveal that he nonetheless possesses the talent to compete on the highest stage. Although Lewis Hamilton might want to handle some qualifying challenges he confronted this yr, Ferrari may have a aggressive bundle in 2024, as demonstrated by Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc’s outcomes. If the automotive proves sturdy and free from premature technical failures, Ferrari may actually contend for each titles within the upcoming Formulation 1 season.
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