Regardless of his greatest efforts in aiding Sergio Perez, Charles Leclerc is left upset that he was unable to safe the runner-up spot for Ferrari.
Thwarted but once more within the opening nook of the race – regardless of a valiant come again shortly after – Charles Leclerc was resigned to spending the rest of the afternoon in second.
Beneath regular circumstances the Monegasque would have been content material, however together with his teammate having began from sixteenth after failing to make it out of Q2, accountability for overhauling Mercedes to say runner-up spot within the group standings rested squarely on Leclerc’s shoulders.
Struggling to make his means up the order, Ferrari, which had initially opted to go for a one cease technique with Sainz was compelled to change to a two stopper, primarily ruling him out of the equation within the battle for factors, although the Maranello outfit hoped for a late Security Automobile.
Consequently, because the race developed and the positions of the Mercedes drivers modified, Leclerc requested to be stored knowledgeable of how the championship standings stood at varied factors.
Within the closing phases, nonetheless working second, Leclerc was forward of Sergio Perez and George Russell, nevertheless, the 5s time penalty awarded to the Mexican for colliding with Oscar Piastri meant that Mercedes had the benefit.
Consequently, Leclerc advised his group that he would help his rival and permit him to move and hopefully make up the 5s deficit to Russell, thereby giving the standings benefit again to Ferrari.
Although the Mexican did certainly move the Ferrari he was unable to make up the deficit and consequently dropped to fifth.
“It was all in the previous few minutes as a result of Checo had a five-second penalty,” defined Leclerc. “We had to assist him in a means for him to complete in entrance of George with the 5 seconds. I attempted to offer him the DRS and a slipstream, however that sadly wasn’t sufficient.
“It’s only a disgrace that we completed third within the constructors’,” he added. “That is all that mattered to me on this finish of season, and we did not obtain that.”
Requested concerning the begin, he stated: “I clearly wished to try to get that first place, however we additionally know that within the race, we lacked some tempo in comparison with them. So, even when I might have handed Max there, I most likely would have gotten overtaken once more three or 4 laps.
“On the finish, my solely goal was to beat the Mercedes,” he continued, “so I did not wish to lose an excessive amount of tyre juice and in addition time with Max. However it was enjoyable.”
It wasn’t enjoyable for teammate Sainz nevertheless, who retired from the race with an engine concern shortly after making his second cease.
“As we speak, the final two weekends, this final weekend basically, have not gone like I anticipated or like we wished to complete the yr,” stated the Spaniard. “Truthfully, very upset and clearly not joyful.
“Given how shut it was in the long run with the championship, we should sit down and analyse what we may have performed higher at present and what was happening as a result of clearly the tempo this weekend and the general feeling with the automotive and the whole lot, the top wasn’t good.”
His disappointment was shared by group boss, Frederic Vasseur, who admits that it should not have rested on the ultimate race of the season.
“We began on the fallacious foot with Bahrain, that once we needed to cease once we have been P3, and we get the penalty for the second race,” stated the Frenchman. “It meant that, for Charles, it was nearly 25 factors of penalty after two occasions, plus the factors that we’re giving to the others, the 2 Mercedes have been behind us.
“However it’s not solely this one. You are able to do the listing, belief me, I did the listing a few instances. I’ve in my head a classification with out the problems. General, you have got ups and downs in the course of the season however for positive we gave up extra factors than our opponents, even our direct opponents. It is one other subject that we’ve got to work on for subsequent yr, to be extra opportunistic and extra environment friendly.”
In the meantime, Russell paid tribute to the truth that Leclerc did not play soiled and attempt to sluggish him down within the closing laps.
“It was tight with Checo on the finish, I assumed Charles was going to again me up however respect to him for maintaining it clear,” stated the Briton.
“Second means an enormous quantity,” he added. “There are such a lot of folks again at a manufacturing facility, Brackley, Brixworth who’ve labored so laborious to realize this.
“It has been a very difficult season. I’ve let the aspect down a few instances this yr, so happy to convey it throughout the road at present.”
Try our Sunday gallery from Yas Marina here.
