Charles Leclerc says it “hurts” Ferrari failed of their bid to win the F1 constructors’ world championship within the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Ferrari got here into Sunday’s finale figuring out they’d a mountain to climb to overtake their 21-point deficit to McLaren after Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri had locked out the entrance row, whereas Carlos Sainz and Leclerc began third and nineteenth respectively.
However when Piastri was despatched spinning to the again of the sphere after a first-corner collision with Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen – which promoted Sainz into P2 – and Leclerc made big good points with an unbelievable opening lap, their title prospects all of the sudden regarded brighter.
Sainz couldn’t problem Norris for the win and needed to settle with second, whereas Leclerc turned in a shocking battle again to finish the rostrum in third place. Nonetheless it was not sufficient as Ferrari misplaced out on the title by 14 factors to McLaren.
“I knew I needed to be very aggressive,” Leclerc mentioned. “So I knew that in lap one, I needed to take all of the dangers attainable so as to acquire as many locations as attainable, to then be in a superb place for the remainder of the race.
“However then, sadly, we have been simply beginning too far again to do something higher than what we have completed right this moment. I feel we have completed the utmost.
“It hurts, clearly, as a result of the season was so shut till the tip. It was a tough hit on Friday once we knew we had the penalty. We nonetheless gave all of it and we simply got here wanting our objective, which is a disgrace. However on the finish, we have tried the whole lot.”
Sainz, who’s leaving Ferrari and becoming a member of Williams for 2025, echoed Leclerc’s evaluation, admitting it’s a “bittersweet” feeling to narrowly miss out on the championship.
“Clearly, a little bit of a bittersweet feeling ultimately. P2 I feel was the utmost we may do right this moment, given the tempo of Lando within the McLaren,” the Spaniard mentioned.
“I gave it the whole lot, particularly the primary stint. It regarded like we may grasp on to them. Then as quickly as we put the arduous tyres, they only appeared to be that one or two tenths faster per lap, like we have seen all weekend. They usually simply obtained a bit out of attain.
“However congratulations, to begin with, to McLaren. They deserve this championship. They’ve been rock strong within the final two-thirds of the championship, and so they’ve been unbelievable.
“From our facet, I feel we could be happy with the trouble and the championship we put collectively. It has been a troublesome yr, however undoubtedly a yr the place we must be happy with.”
Vasseur annoyed however proud
Ferrari staff principal Frederic Vaster admitted it was irritating to get so near delivering a title again to Maranello and ending the Italian outfit’s 16-year watch for main F1 silverware.
“A superb one, however not sufficient,” Vasseur summarised. “I feel that if you happen to examine with one yr in the past, it’s an enormous step ahead.
“Each single KPI, the whole lot is nice, and we did a superb one when it comes to pit stops technique, reliability, we improved in every single place, even when it comes to pure efficiency.
“It’s true that on the finish, 14 factors are lacking, and I feel in case you are 80 or 100 factors behind, you don’t really feel the frustration. !4 factors that you’ve got, or at the least tonight, I had tons of races in my thoughts, the place we misplaced 14 factors this season.
“However it’s like it’s. McLaren additionally had some points, and we’ve to do a greater job subsequent yr, however I’m additionally fairly happy with the step that we did.”
