Last Updated on November 27 2023, 12:26 pm

In the climactic Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc and George Russell went wheel to wheel in a fierce contest. With Ferrari on a mission to snatch second place in the F1 Constructors’ Championship from Mercedes, the stage was set for a high-stakes confrontation.

Charles Leclerc and George Russell battled hard at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as Ferrari did everything they could to overtake Mercedes for second place in the F1 Constructors’ Championship.

 

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was full of admiration for Leclerc’s approach during his intense battle with Russell. Despite the pressure, Leclerc remained fair and avoided any overly aggressive manoeuvres that could have jeopardised the integrity of the race.

“Perez wasn’t really on the radar for a long time,” explained Wolff about the race’s strategic considerations. Focusing on optimising Russell’s pace and tyre management, Mercedes aimed to stay within striking distance of Perez while keeping an eye on Leclerc’s lead.

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A clever but futile strategy

Leclerc’s strategic mind was on full display as he tried to take advantage of Perez’s five-second penalty by slowing down Russell, hoping to insert Perez between them after the penalty. Although the plan didn’t work out, Wolff appreciated Leclerc’s restraint in the final sector.

“In the end, he could have put on the handbrake in the last sector, but he didn’t. I think that shows the character of a driver,” said Wolff, highlighting Leclerc’s sportsmanship.

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Ferrari’s take on the situation

Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur rejected any suggestion that Leclerc was “too fair” and defended his driver’s decisions on track. He emphasised the complexity of blocking a rival like Russell and expressed his preference for a straightforward contest.

While Leclerc’s second place was commendable, Vasseur felt that it was not enough to make the strategic play necessary to overtake Mercedes. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton secured third and ninth place respectively, enough for Mercedes to maintain their lead over Ferrari.

Compounding Ferrari’s challenges, Leclerc’s team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr. suffered a disappointing weekend, failing to get out of the first qualifying session and finishing the race in 18th place.

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The Perez factor

In the climax of the race, Red Bull’s Sergio Perez overtook Russell, presenting Ferrari with a tactical opportunity. Perez was facing a five-second penalty, and if Leclerc could have strategically delayed Russell, Perez’s penalty would have allowed the Mercedes driver to reposition himself behind Leclerc after time adjustments.

However, Vasseur noted that Leclerc may have misjudged the tactical scenario, allowing Perez to pass but staying too close instead of creating the necessary gap that could have benefited Ferrari in the final standings.

“If you want to block Russell, it’s a matter of hundredths of a second. I’m not a big fan of that and we did our best in a fair way when we let Perez go to give him the DRS to help him as much as possible,” said Vasseur, confirming Ferrari’s commitment to sportsmanship.

In the end, Mercedes emerged victorious and held on to second place in the Constructors’ Championship, but not without a valiant effort from Leclerc. 

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Despite a complete loss of form from Lewis Hamilton during the final weekend of the 2023 Formula One season, Mercedes scraped home to finish just three points ahead of Ferrari in the constructors’ championship.

Yet it was within the gift of Ferrari to try and nobble George Russell over the closing laps forcing him to…READ MORE ON THIS STORY