P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Can Charles’s wish come true to send Ferrari into the winter on a positive note?
Charles Leclerc believes that achieving a podium finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is crucial to prevent Ferrari from heading into the F1 Christmas break feeling “quite depressing” after a challenging final two races.
During the Qatar Grand Prix weekend, both Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton struggled, with Hamilton getting knocked out in Q1 during qualifying and finishing outside of the points, while Leclerc managed to secure eighth place in the race.
Leclerc faced difficulties with the SF-25 car’s grip and performance throughout the season, where Ferrari is on track to finish fourth in the constructors’ standings with no grand prix victories unless a win is secured at Yas Marina.
Although Leclerc considers a win to be “unrealistic,” he believes that a podium finish would bring some much-needed “happiness” as the team prepares for the winter break.
Looking ahead to Abu Dhabi, Leclerc is determined to end the season on a positive note and extract the maximum performance from the car, aiming to secure one final podium finish in 2025 despite the challenges faced during the Qatar Grand Prix.
