Charles Leclerc and Arthur Leclerc drove Ferrari cars in the first practices. The manufacturers’ title could be decided once and for all with Charles’ starting grid penalty.
The F1 season ends this weekend with the Abu Dhabi race.
This is the last round of the Formula 1 World Championship series, driving to its race weekend With Valtteri Bottas it was a good training day.
The Sauber driver gassed up at the Yas Marina circuit to seventh in the second practice session. In the first practice, Bottas was 13th.
The top three in the first practices belonged to Ferrari Charles Leclercof McLaren Lando Norris and Mercedes Lewis Hamilton.
In the second practice, Norris was the fastest before McLaren Oscar Piastria and Haas Nico Hülkenberg.
The drivers’ championship has already been decided by Red Bull some time ago For Max Verstappenbut the title of the manufacturers is still being twisted. McLaren leads Ferrari by 21 points.
Now McLaren is even more firmly attached to its first manufacturers’ title since then Mika Häkkinen championship season 1998.
First of all, in the second practice came first and second place. In addition, Ferrari’s Leclerc will receive a ten grid penalty for Sunday’s race.
A new battery had to be replaced in Leclerc’s car. With the change, Ferrari exceeds the number of two batteries allowed in the car during the season.
Two Leclercs
In the first practice of the day, two Leclercs were seen in the Ferrari cars, while Charles Leclerc’s brother Arthur got to drive Carlos Sainz car. He was 18th when Alpine was left behind Jack Doohan and who got behind the wheel of Williams Luke Browning.
It was an emotional day for the Leclerc family. Mother Pascale was in the Ferrari pit watching the progress of the day. Father Herve died of cancer in 2017.
– This is definitely a really, really special moment. Not just for me or Arthur, but for our whole family. Because I know how much sacrifice my parents made when we were younger, Charles Leclerc said According to the BBC.
Charles said that Arthur’s motor racing career was interrupted once because his parents could not afford to drive both of them.
– I know how much it meant to my father that he was able to start Arthur’s career again. When he did, he was very happy. It’s special how much my father did to help us achieve our dreams. So this is a moment I will surely remember forever.