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    2024 RACE REVIEW

    Scuderia Ferrari HP now head to the final round of the season in Abu Dhabi next week, in the hunt for the Constructors’ world championship title. On a track that the team feared would not suit it, Charles Leclerc finished second in a race that saw little overtaking but plenty of high drama and tension. Carlos Sainz was unlucky, clawing his way back to sixth at the flag after suffering a puncture at half distance. The team therefore picked up 35 points this weekend – 26 today, 9 in yesterday’s Sprint bringing the gap to McLaren down from 24 to 21 points, while there are 44 up for grabs at Yas Marina. This is the first time since 2012 that Ferrari is in with a shot at the title at the very last round. The team was fully focussed in today’s race and was able to deal with moments of great difficulty. Carlos did a great job on track, completing a full lap with one wheel dragging on the ground, trying to lose as little time as possible. As for Charles, at every restart, he had to fend off the attentions of Piastri, who was more able to get his tyres up to temperature.
    Track Temperature21-23°C
    Humidity55-64%
    Air Temperature18-19 °C
    Wind Speed5-8 km/h S
    • CHARLES LECLERC
    • Race Result2
    • Fastest Lap1:23.242
    • Pit Stop28.460 s
    • Race Time1:31:11.354
    • Gap from leader+6.031 s
    avg speed
    top speed
    avg speed
    top speed
    • CARLOS SAINZ
    • Race Result6
    • Fastest Lap1:23.465
    • Pit Stop36.143 s
    • Race Time1:31:22.799
    • Gap from leader+17.476 s
    avg speed
    top speed
    avg speed
    top speed
    Tyres
    Charles Leclerc
    N. Pit Stop1
    Total laps57
    pit
    10
    20
    30
    40
    50
    Race laps
    35
    57
    Percentage set used
    Medium
    61 %
    Hard
    39 %
    Carlos Sainz
    N. Pit Stop1
    Total laps57
    pit
    10
    20
    30
    40
    50
    Race laps
    34
    57
    Percentage set used
    Medium
    60 %
    Hard
    40 %
    “
    The most important thing today is that we scored more points than McLaren.
    We are now 21 points behind, with one race to go which means everything is possible. We have also increased our lead over Red Bull, which means in Abu Dhabi we can focus more on the team in front of us. The race today was a bit chaotic, but overall, it was a good one for us: we executed it well, the pace was there and I’m very pleased with the job we did today. It was in our plan that the drivers would not push too hard for the first laps in order to push more later on and we were confident we had the pace on the Hard to push until the end. We have some regrets, such as Carlos’ puncture which came at the very worst place, as he had to drive a full lap before pitting and it cost us one or two positions. Now we go to Abu Dhabi, which on paper, should be a better circuit for us and with Max and Mercedes on the pace, you never know what could happen in the championship battle. We will push flat out to the final chequered flag.
    Frédéric Vasseur
    “
    We expected this to be a difficult weekend for us so I’m happy with how the race went today,
    having made up some points on McLaren. We had some luck on my side and a bit less on Carlos’ with the puncture. We may have been able to finish second and third had it not been for that, which is a shame teamwise, but overall, it was positive to be this competitive here. Driving for such an iconic team as Ferrari, it would be amazing for us to finish the season by bringing the constructors’ title back to Maranello. It won’t be easy to score the points we need to win the title in a single weekend, but everything is still possible and we will do absolutely everything to achieve it.
    Charles Leclerc
    #Charles16
    “
    I’m obviously not happy with the outcome of today’s race.
    We were in a strong position but unfortunately, I got a puncture and had to complete an entire lap with a flat tyre. After the pit stop, the Safety Car came out so the whole situation cost us even more time and ultimately some crucial positions. Dragging the car for an entire lap led to some damage and the car felt a bit off, making things difficult for the last stint. That said, I’m pleased I managed to bring the car home and together with Charles’ podium we managed to score important points. We will fight until the last lap of the Abu Dhabi race for the championship, and hopefully finish the season in the best way possible.
    Carlos Sainz
    #Carlos55
    CHARLES LECLERC QUALIFYING SESSIONS
    Q1 - SOFT TIRE
    1:21.278
    Q2 - SOFT TIRE
    1:21.000
    Q3 - SOFT TIRE
    1:20.852
    POSITION
    5
    GAP FROM LEADER
    +0.332 s
    CARLOS SAINZ QUALIFYING SESSIONS
    Q1 - SOFT TIRE
    1:21.447
    Q2 - SOFT TIRE
    1:21.199
    Q3 - SOFT TIRE
    1:21.041
    POSITION
    7
    GAP FROM LEADER
    +0.521 s
    CARLOS SAINZ SPRINT SESSION
    POSITION
    4
    GAP FROM LEADER
    +1.326s
    FASTEST LAP
    1:24.405
    CHARLES LECLERC SPRINT SESSION
    POSITION
    5
    GAP FROM LEADER
    +5.073 s
    FASTEST LAP
    1:23.923
    “
    Today has proven again that this track is complicated for us.
    Milliseconds have separated us from a better result and a slipstream on the last run could have helped, but overall, it is what it is. However, I think our race pace is stronger and, even though overtaking here is far from easy, I’m confident we can fight for some solid points tomorrow! The weekend is not over, we need to stay fully focused during the race and be prepared to grab any opportunity.
    Carlos Sainz
    #Carlos55
    “
    The Sprint Race confirmed that qualifying is crucial here.
    We had one opportunity to pass Lewis (Hamilton), but it was on the limit and one really has to take a risk to overtake on this track, especially as the DRS zone is short. P5 was the best we could do in qualifying. I am happy with my lap and there was just nothing more to extract from our car today. The two McLarens are right in front of us, so we will need a good race start and a solid few laps to try and pass one of them and then put pressure on the other. I am quite confident that the car will be stronger in the race, at the same time, I expect a difficult race. If we have the opportunity to show our pace in free air, we will do it.
    Charles Leclerc
    #Charles16
    CARLOS SAINZ SPRINT QUALIFYING
    Q1 - SOFT TIRE
    1:21.838
    Q2 - SOFT TIRE
    1:21.809
    Q3 - SOFT TIRE
    1:21.281
    POSITION
    4
    GAP FROM LEADER
    +0.269 s
    CHARLES LECLERC SPRINT QUALIFYING
    Q1 - SOFT TIRE
    1:22.156
    Q2 - SOFT TIRE
    1:21.818
    Q3 - SOFT TIRE
    1:21.308
    POSITION
    5
    GAP FROM LEADER
    +0.296 s
    “
    A rather unusual qualifying session.
    In terms of balance, we worked in the right direction and the car improved from free practice. However, in SQ3 I had quite a lot of understeer which obviously didn't help to put together a better lap.Anyway, starting on the second row can still allow us to bring home a good result and hopefully, to try and attack one of the McLarens ahead, score points and collect data which will help us prepare for Sunday.
    Carlos Sainz
    #Carlos55
    “
    Our FP1 performance was better than expected,
    so our hopes were that we could finish SQ in good positions, given that this weekend is such an important one for us. Unfortunately, we didn’t and P4 and P5 is all that was possible today.Let’s see what tomorrow brings. For now we are not in the best positions, but things can play out differently come the Sprint race.
    Charles Leclerc
    #Charles16
    Charles Leclerc Practice sessions
    FP1 - POSITION: 1
    1:21.953
    Carlos Sainz Practice sessions
    FP1 - POSITION: 4
    1:22.535
    Sectors
    Turns
    Max Speed
    DRS
    • LocationLusail
    • First GP2021
    • Circuit length5 380 km
    • Race Distance306.66 km
    • Laps57
    • Lap Record1:22:384Lando Norris (2024)
    Lusail International Circuit

    The track only took a year to build, thanks to a workforce of around a thousand, at a cost of 58 million US dollars. It was inaugurated in 2004, staging that year’s MotoGP, the first such race to be held at night as from 2007, when a powerful 3600 floodlight system was installed. It is 5.380 kilometres in length, with the main straight measuring 1.068 kilometres. The track is surrounded by artificial grass to prevent sand blowing onto it from the surrounding desert.

    The first corner

    The first corner is very important, as it requires very heavy braking before a quick section where it is important to carry speed before braking for turn 4, which marks the start of a section with more corners.

    Overtaking is a possibility

    A hairpin at turn 6 is the slowest point on the track and leads into the most technical part of the circuit. The complex of corners 12, 13 and 14 is taken as one turn, similar to the famous turn 8 at Istanbul Park. Turn 15 is a fairly quick right-hander before the final braking point on the lap. Here there is more than one possible line, which means overtaking is a possibility.

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      PODIUMS