Ferrari endured tough Abu Dhabi qualifying as Sainz vows all-out effort for victory, while Leclerc reflects on a costly error.
Carlos Sainz gave his best effort in qualifying to compete against the McLaren F1 drivers, ultimately securing third place behind Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The future Ferrari-to-Williams transfer expressed satisfaction with his qualifying performance.
“Yes, we’ve made good progress. They’ve shown throughout the weekend that they’re a step ahead of everyone. In Q1 and Q2, we thought we were closing the gap. I did some good laps, but in Q3, when they put everything together, they still had the advantage. Still, there’s a race left, and we’ll try to win it,” Sainz stated.
“I’ll give it my all. Today, I pushed like never before in qualifying because I wanted pole position and to give myself a good chance for tomorrow, as it might be my last fight for a podium or a win for a while. At the same time, I’m enjoying this weekend as much as possible. I’ll have nothing to lose tomorrow.”
Asked about his emotions ahead of his last race for Ferrari, Sainz admitted he remains composed: “To be honest, I haven’t been too emotional this weekend because we’re very focused. There’s a lot at stake with the possibility of winning and fighting for the Constructors’ title.”
“I haven’t had much time to think about it. I’m sure tomorrow, before or after the race, the emotions will hit. But for now, I just want to get the most out of it, keep enjoying these last races, and drive at my best.”
Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, had one of his laps deleted in Q2 and ended up 13th, which will push him towards the back of the grid for the start tomorrow: “I knew it was the only corner where track limits could be an issue. And when you’re pushing… a few centimeters would have been enough, but it didn’t go my way.”
“I take responsibility; it’s my mistake, and it hurts. Starting 14th, when we could have been fourth, is obviously better than starting 20th, but it doesn’t make the weekend much easier. We’ll try to maximize the car’s potential tomorrow, but today, it’s on me.”
“I still believe, and I’ll believe until the last lap. Of course, it’s much harder now, especially with the penalty and the deleted lap making our Sunday tougher, but I’ll keep believing until the end.”
- Discover More>Norris on pole, McLaren locks out front row in Abu Dhabi
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Sainz Eyes Last Ferrari Glory as Leclerc Owns Up to Error Sainz Eyes Last Ferrari Glory as Leclerc Owns Up to Error
