Scuderia Ferrari carried their struggle for the Constructors’ Championship right down to the wire in Abu Dhabi on the 5.281-kilometre Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island, however rivals McLaren sadly clinched the title ultimately, leaving the Scuderia narrowly defeated.
The season started with what gave the impression to be one other yr of Pink Bull dominance. Max Verstappen claimed seven victories within the first 10 races, together with three one-two finishes alongside teammate Sergio Perez, signaling a continuation of their 2023 supremacy.
Nonetheless, the tide turned dramatically after the Spanish Grand Prix. Pink Bull’s efficiency took a sudden and sudden dip, with McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes catching up within the growth race. This downturn coincided with Verstappen enduring a irritating 10-race winless streak. Regardless of the challenges, the Dutchman managed to safe constant outcomes, even because the RB20 turned more and more tough to deal with. Sergio Perez, alternatively, struggled considerably, failing to safe a top-five end after Miami and enduring 4 retirements and as many non-points finishes for the rest of the season—a significant factor in Pink Bull’s exit from the championship battle.
Whereas Pink Bull faltered, McLaren and Ferrari rose to the event. Between the Spanish Grand Prix on the Circuit de Catalunya and the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo, McLaren claimed 4 victories, whereas Ferrari secured three. Throughout this era, Verstappen managed to edge nearer to the drivers’ title, however the workforce’s lack of constant efficiency prevented Pink Bull from reasserting their dominance.
The Constructors’ Championship got here right down to the ultimate race in Abu Dhabi. Carlos Sainz’s second-place end and Charles Leclerc’s exceptional climb from nineteenth to 3rd showcased Ferrari’s resilience, however Lando Norris sealed the title for McLaren with a race win. McLaren completed 14 factors away from Ferrari, leaving the Scuderia to mirror on what may need been.
Karun Chandhok pointed to Carlos Sainz’s pricey crash in Baku because the defining second of Ferrari’s season. Whereas the workforce confronted a number of setbacks—equivalent to a double retirement in Canada, the failure of a serious improve in Barcelona, and Charles Leclerc’s back-to-back disastrous weekends in Spielberg and Silverstone— Karun Chandhok believes the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was pivotal. Within the closing laps, Carlos Sainz was battling Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez for second place when a collision with the Pink Bull on the again straight took each vehicles out of competition. In accordance with the Indian former racing driver and broadcaster, this “clumsy” incident finally swung the championship away from the Maranello workforce, overshadowing their in any other case commendable season.
Talking on the Sky Sports activities F1 Podcast, Karun Chandhok mentioned: “Truly if you look again on the season, all it form of hinged on is Baku. If Carlos Sainz and Perez hadn’t have had that awkward crash with a lap or so to go, then Ferrari would have been constructors’ champions. That was the distinction as a result of Lando gained a few locations and Carlos would have been second or third which might have been 18 or 15 factors and that may have been sufficient. For me, that crash was form of a slipshod one, wasn’t it? It was like an pointless, it was only a clumsy, pointless accident, I felt. It’s simply a type of irritating, unfortunate issues the place each drivers are heading for a similar little bit of highway on the identical time.” – he identified.
Can Carlos Sainz Thrive at Williams in 2025 After Departing the Maranello workforce?
As Carlos Sainz prepares for the 2025 Components 1 season, he faces a major profession shift, leaving Ferrari after 4 seasons to make room for Lewis Hamilton. The Spaniard, now 30 years previous, will be a part of Alex Albon at Williams, a transfer that has sparked appreciable debate amongst followers and pundits alike.
The previous McLaren driver’s resolution to maneuver to the Grove-based workforce has raised eyebrows, given he’s stepping away from Ferrari—a workforce that completed because the second-best constructor in 2024—to affix a squad that ended the season second to final. With restricted seats out there for 2025, questions linger about whether or not this was the most suitable choice for Carlos Sainz to take care of his momentum in Components 1.
Williams, nonetheless, is present process a metamorphosis, with substantial off-track investments geared toward bettering their on-track efficiency. Staff principal James Vowles believes Carlos Sainz’s presence is already influencing the workforce positively, bringing renewed focus and vitality. In accordance with James Vowles, the arrival of the four-time race winner offers Williams with “two leaders” within the driver lineup, enhancing their probabilities of returning to their once-dominant type.
Sky Sports activities pundit Ted Kravitz, nonetheless, warns that Williams should “step up” to match the caliber of their new signing. In contrast to earlier drivers equivalent to Nicholas Latifi, Logan Sargeant, and Franco Colapinto, Sainz brings a wealth of expertise and credibility as a confirmed race winner. Kravitz stresses that the workforce should ship a automobile able to no less than difficult the midfield if they’re to capitalize on Carlos Sainz’s talents.
Carlos Sainz himself has downplayed issues about transferring to a struggling workforce, insisting that Williams is “100% not a step again” from Ferrari. For him, staying in Components 1 and contributing to an formidable venture is what issues most. Nonetheless, the central query stays: can Carlos Sainz ship leads to a automobile that, regardless of ongoing enhancements, is more likely to begin the 2025 season close to the again of the grid? His efficiency at Williams will undoubtedly be below the highlight, because the F1 world watches to see if he can elevate the workforce to new heights.
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