Charles Leclerc penalized on the starting grid of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is ​​the scene of the final fight for the 2024 Constructors' title between Ferrari and McLaren. In this opposition, the Team will leave with a handicap in the race since Charles Leclerc will have to drop back ten places on the grid. The Monegasque is using a third battery this weekend, while only two are authorized per season.

Frédéric Vasseur spoke about this on Canal + at the end of the first Free Practice session, held this Friday.

« It's not the best way to start the weekend, but we had already been on survival for a weekend and a half, doing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation with the drums between all the sessions, said the Scuderia team principal. There, it was no longer going well, so we did not want to take any risks this weekend. We take the penalty but we will try to do our best anyway. »

Charles Leclerc stood out during this first driving session of the weekend by setting the best time in 1:24.321, 0.221 seconds ahead of Lando Norris (McLaren) and 0.485 seconds ahead Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes). A result to be qualified, because no less than six rookies were on the track during these FP1, including Charles' younger brother, Arthur, in the second Ferrari (18th).

In the Constructors' Championship, Ferrari is 21 points behind McLaren going into this final round of the 2024 season. F1. Free Practice 2 will start at 14:00 p.m. this Friday.

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