Leclerc Vows To Challenge McLaren For Constructors' Championship In Final Race At Abu Dhabi

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Charles Leclerc is determined for Ferrari to give their best shot at the Formula One constructors' championship in Abu Dhabi. At the Qatar Grand Prix, Leclerc secured second place behind Max Verstappen. This result was better than McLaren's drivers, with Oscar Piastri finishing third and Lando Norris tenth after a penalty. Now, Ferrari trails McLaren by 21 points before the final race.

This season has been Leclerc's most successful in F1, with 12 podium finishes, surpassing his previous record of 11 in 2022. He is now just nine points behind Norris in the drivers' standings. Ferrari needs a strong performance in Abu Dhabi, and Leclerc is eager to see how it unfolds. "It's difficult to know [how Ferrari will perform in Abu Dhabi]," he said.

Leclerc added, "I think we are all close, so I think it's going to be very tight, but it's exciting. Twenty-one points is still a lot, and everything is possible. We will give it our all." The competition remains fierce as they head into the last race of the season.

"I'm really happy," Leclerc expressed about finishing second despite challenges at Qatar's track. He noted that their car wasn't well-suited for this circuit compared to McLaren's vehicles. Despite this disadvantage, they managed to gain some points over McLaren. The battle for the championship will continue until the final race next week in Abu Dhabi.

Carlos Sainz, Leclerc's teammate, ended up sixth after suffering a puncture on lap 36 due to debris on the track. Reflecting on this incident, Leclerc said he was cautious about debris and stayed left on straights to avoid damage. "It's a shame for Carlos," he remarked about Sainz's misfortune.

The weekend was still positive for Ferrari despite Sainz's setback. Leclerc acknowledged that having both cars higher up would have been ideal but remained optimistic about their overall performance.