Charles Leclerc finished second in the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday, with only world champion Max Verstappen ahead of him. Thanks in part to a time penalty for Lando Norris, Ferrari made excellent progress at the Lusail International Circuit. The constructor’s championship is far from decided.
“I’m incredibly happy,” Leclerc responded after the race in Qatar. “To be honest, I didn’t expect that we could finish second on this circuit. We knew beforehand that it would be a tough fight with McLaren, but we managed to snatch good points from them.” Teammate Carlos Sainz had a less successful weekend. Partly due to a flat tire, the Spaniard could not finish higher than sixth place. The kerbs and the debris on the track were problematic for him.
“I just ignored all the tire problems and drove hard,” Leclerc laughed. “We really needed this result. It’s a shame that Carlos (Sainz) is not standing next to me.” Thanks to Leclerc’s podium finish and Norris’s time penalty, Ferrari has made up ground in the constructor’s championship. Heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi, the difference is only twenty-one points.
“It’s going to be very tight, but at the same time incredibly exciting,” Leclerc concluded. “We’re going to do everything we can.” If Ferrari comes out on top in Abu Dhabi, the Italians will win their first title since 2008. However, McLaren remains the biggest contender for the gold. The British team has not won a constructor’s championship since 1998.
