Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Sainz finishes his Ferrari adventure in style

For his last race behind the wheel of a Ferrari, Carlos Sainz delivered a remarkable performance by finishing second in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Despite all his efforts, the Spaniard couldn’t prevent McLaren from winning the Constructors’ title, but he leaves the Scuderia with his head held high.

Starting from the first row, Sainz held onto his position in the early laps after the initial chaos involving Verstappen and Piastri. During the first stint, the Spaniard managed to stay in touch with Norris, keeping alive hope for a possible victory for Ferrari.

However, the switch to hard tires did not really pay off for Ferrari. Indeed, despite an aggressive strategy, Sainz was unable to catch up with Norris, who seemed to have a slight advantage in terms of pace on the hard tires.

After the race, Sainz shared his impressions by stating: « It is obviously a somewhat bittersweet feeling. I think second position was the best we could do today given Lando’s pace in the McLaren. I gave it my all, especially in the first stint. We felt like we could catch up to them, but as soon as we switched to hard tires, they were one or two tenths quicker and they pulled away.

The Spanish driver also congratulated the McLaren team for their victory in the 2024 Constructors’ Championship: « Congratulations to McLaren, they deserve it, they have been as solid as a rock in the championship. On our side, we can be proud of our efforts and the championship we have won. It was a difficult year, but a year we can be proud of. »

Sainz also wanted to pay tribute to Ferrari for his four years with the team: « Obviously, it was an emotional return to the pits with my engineer talking to me on the radio, but at the same time, I am very grateful to have been part of this amazing team for four years. I had the opportunity to win my first races, to achieve my first pole positions. I proved to myself and everyone else that I can fight for wins and podiums if I have the right car. »

Regarding his future at Williams, Sainz stated that his goal was to work with the team to reclaim the position that belongs to them.