It was a battle misplaced from the beginning, a foreseen defeat that, virtually magically, become a bitter blow, leaving Ferrari followers and everybody hoping to see the Prancing Horse again on prime of the world deeply regretful.
The championship drought continues
That is how the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP, the ultimate act of an exciting season crammed with fixed twists and turns, might be summarized. The title battle lastly introduced again two of probably the most storied groups on the planet to their peak, a degree they hadn’t reached in years—16 years for Ferrari and an astounding 26 for McLaren.
And but, regardless of all the things, the defeated can really feel (virtually) as happy and glad because the victors.
Increase your hand if, on the eve of the Bahrain GP, you imagined—and even thought-about—the opportunity of seeing Pink Bull dethroned so early, the crew that had turned Components 1 into Components Boredom over the previous two seasons.
Increase your hand if, after Lando Norris’s dominant victory in Singapore (and Charles Leclerc’s qualifying catastrophe), you thought Ferrari’s SF-24 may maintain its floor till the final lap in opposition to the papaya duo, who, regardless of some missteps throughout the season, wielded a real rocket within the MCL-38.
But Frederic Vasseur, in his first actual 12 months as crew principal with a mission and crew totally formed to his imaginative and prescient, managed to ship a dream. A dream that, with the assistance of Lewis Hamilton, may turn into actuality in 12 months.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, usually criticized (for causes unknown), delivered performances at Yas Marina that confirmed their standing as distinctive drivers. It’s additional proof that Maranello now “simply” wants to offer its drivers with a championship-caliber automobile and proceed the exceptional progress proven this 12 months.
McLaren’s triumph additionally carries a bit of Ferrari. This refers, after all, to Andrea Stella, who, after the bitter disappointment 14 years in the past alongside Fernando Alonso, redeemed himself spectacularly, handing one other painful Sunday to his former crew.
Nevertheless, 2025 may convey a brand new tune, with hopes that this newest championship disappointment transforms into fierce willpower for Maranello, whose personnel know they can’t afford one other failure.
“Ferrari will win subsequent 12 months,” declared Carlos Sainz with out hesitation after the race, his last one in purple. Carlos Sainz, who performed a major function within the resurgence of the 2 title contenders for 2024, will seemingly watch the rostrum battles from afar subsequent season.
“Subsequent 12 months can be our 12 months, I’m positive of it,” echoed Charles Leclerc, as if his gaze exchanged with Hamilton after the race already held which means—maybe a premonition.
The 2025 season, the final 12 months of the ground-effect automobile era, will seemingly be much more intense and aggressive than this 12 months.
Each crew, together with Ferrari, Pink Bull, and Mercedes, will goal to dethrone McLaren and reclaim the crown. The season has simply ended, the adrenaline is fading, however the very best is but to come back.
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