Ferrari has began the Abu Dhabi weekend, the ultimate Grand Prix of the 2024 Components 1 season, in a decidedly tough means.
Within the first apply session, the group needed to substitute the battery pack on Charles Leclerc’s SF-24, putting in the third unit of the season. This implies just one factor: a grid penalty. Charles should drop 10 locations on the grid, relying on tomorrow afternoon’s qualifying consequence.
This can be a important blow for Ferrari, which hoped—and nonetheless hopes, regardless of the slim probabilities of success—to win the Constructors’ Championship, a title that has eluded them since 2008.
However Charles Leclerc’s troubled weekend had already begun final evening because of meals poisoning, which stored him awake all evening.
“The penalty makes our weekend tougher. Sadly, it began final evening once I had meals poisoning and couldn’t sleep in any respect. I’m so drained; I simply need to sleep now. It hasn’t been simple, and this morning I didn’t really feel like driving, however in fact, the massive motivation of the day was doing FP1 with my brother.” -he identified on the finish of the second free apply session.
“It was a dream come true at this time for each of us and for our complete household, who traveled to Monaco to see it. It was a really emotional second, and I needed to put my helmet on early as a result of I used to be overwhelmed, and that’s when issues began to go mistaken, sadly. As quickly as we began the automobile, we noticed there was a problem with the vitality retailer. A variety of ideas went by my thoughts…”
Fortuitously for Ferrari, Charles Leclerc already appears to be feeling higher. This could permit him to be near full health tomorrow for the third apply session and, most significantly, qualifying at Yas Marina.
“The very first thing that got here to thoughts was: ‘I’ll drive this FP1 with my brother, which is a novel alternative,’ and clearly additionally the championship, which makes our weekend a lot tougher, however this doesn’t demotivate me in any respect. I already really feel a bit higher tonight. I’ll get an excellent evening’s sleep and are available again tomorrow totally recharged—no pun supposed! However sure, hopefully, we’ll have an incredible day tomorrow after which an incredible restoration on Sunday.”
As we speak’s on-track efficiency favored their direct rivals for the title, McLaren. The MCL38s of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri set the tempo each on single laps and race stints. Ferrari’s hopes of clinching the title are slim, however throughout the group, the main target stays on giving their all. What occurs will likely be assessed on the finish of the season.
“McLaren appears to be sooner, sadly. For now, they’ve the higher hand, however we all know issues can change in a short time in both course, and we’ve got to remain alert. It gained’t be over till the top, as we’ve seen at this time with our situation, however I don’t want issues on anybody else. We’ll simply give attention to ourselves and attempt to make a unprecedented comeback.”
For Charles Leclerc, this weekend will even mark his final alongside Carlos Sainz as teammates earlier than the Spaniard strikes to Williams subsequent season.
“Sure. One other factor that provides to this emotionally turbulent weekend. After all, we need to end on a excessive be aware. This morning, we ended up watching collectively, and we had been each a bit unhappy about what occurred as a result of we clearly depend on one another to attempt to win this Constructors’ title. We actually need to end these 4 years collectively in one of the simplest ways attainable.”
“However generally, issues occur which are past our management, and that’s what occurred at this time. We’ve had a implausible relationship, 4 implausible years, and we’ll give it our all till the final lap to conclude these 4 years collectively in one of the simplest ways attainable.”
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