It was a battle misplaced from the beginning, a foreseen defeat that, virtually magically, became 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 exhilarating season full of fixed twists and turns, will be summarized. The title battle lastly introduced again two of probably the most storied groups on the planet to their peak, a stage they hadn’t reached in years—16 years for Ferrari and an astounding 26 for McLaren.
And but, regardless of the whole lot, the defeated can really feel (virtually) as happy and glad because the victors.
Elevate your hand if, on the eve of the Bahrain GP, you imagined—and even thought of—the potential of seeing Crimson Bull dethroned so early, the staff that had turned System 1 into System Boredom over the previous two seasons.
Elevate your hand if, after Lando Norris’s dominant victory in Singapore (and Charles Leclerc’s qualifying catastrophe), you thought Ferrari’s SF-24 might maintain its floor till the final lap towards 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 staff principal with a venture and staff completely formed to his imaginative and prescient, managed to ship a dream. A dream that, with the assistance of Lewis Hamilton, might 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 chunk 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 staff.
Nonetheless, 2025 might convey a brand new tune, with hopes that this newest championship disappointment transforms into fierce willpower for Maranello, whose personnel know they can not 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 position within the resurgence of the 2 title contenders for 2024, will possible watch the rostrum battles from afar subsequent season.
“Subsequent 12 months will probably be our 12 months, I’m positive of it,” echoed Charles Leclerc, as if his gaze exchanged with Hamilton after the race already held that means—maybe a premonition.
The 2025 season, the final 12 months of the ground-effect automobile era, will possible be much more intense and aggressive than this 12 months.
Each staff, together with Ferrari, Crimson Bull, and Mercedes, will intention to dethrone McLaren and reclaim the crown. The season has simply ended, the adrenaline is fading, however the perfect is but to come back.
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