P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The Ferrari driver contended for the lead on the opening lap in Abu Dhabi, but quickly settled into second place following twin attacks on Max Verstappen for the lead.
Charles Leclerc explained that he chose not to attack Max Verstappen after the first lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix due to concerns about tyre degradation and wanting to keep the fight for second place in the Constructors’ Championship alive. He saw an opportunity to pass Verstappen on the first lap but opted to settle for second place in order to preserve his tyres and avoid any consequences that pushing too hard early on could have on the rest of the race. Leclerc acknowledged that Verstappen was stronger than expected but expressed satisfaction with Ferrari’s tyre management, as overheating is typically a weakness for them. Despite his late attempts to help Ferrari secure second place in the Constructors’ Championship through team strategy, Verstappen went on to win the race, extending his record for most wins in a season to 19.
