6 days ago
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Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has been fixed a 10-place grid punishment for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that volition determine the constructors' title betwixt the Italian squad and McLaren.
Ferrari person had to acceptable a caller artillery battalion to Leclerc's car, taking them beyond their permitted allowance for the season.
It is simply a large stroke to Ferrari, who way McLaren by 21 points successful the constructors' title with a maximum of 44 points available.
Leclerc and team-mate Carlos Sainz said connected Thursday that Ferrari truly needed a one-two successful the contention to person their champion changeable astatine their ain archetypal rubric since 2008.
McLaren are trying to triumph the rubric for the archetypal clip since 1998.
Leclerc, whose league was delayed by fractional an hr due to the fact that of the artillery change, was 0.221 seconds quicker than Norris, but was moving connected softer tyres and astatine a clip erstwhile the way was successful a amended information due to the fact that it was aboriginal successful the session.
Norris was 0.264 seconds quicker than Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, who had team-mate George Russell a further 0.359secs down connected a play that truthful acold has been dominated by his spat with Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
Leclerc's member Arthur, a Ferrari improvement driver, drove Carlos Sainz's car.
Verstappen did not instrumentality portion successful the session, his car driven by French Formula 2 operator Isack Hadjar, a contender for a spot astatine Red Bull's RB squad adjacent year.
Red Bull are considering whether to driblet Sergio Perez aft a 2nd consecutive hard play for the Mexican alongside Verstappen. If they do, either Liam Lawson oregon Yuki Tsunoda - astir apt Lawson - would beryllium promoted from RB and Hadjar whitethorn beryllium slotted successful astatine RB.
Alpine's Pierre Gasly was 5th fastest, up of Haas operator Nico Hulkenberg, the 2 teams disputing sixth spot successful the constructors' title this weekend, with Alpine 5 points ahead.
Williams operator Franco Colapinto was seventh fastest, up of Haas' Kevin Magnussen, Aston Martin reserve Felipe Drugovich and Perez.
Alpine's Jack Doohan, drafted successful for Esteban Ocon to get a caput commencement connected his debut play successful 2025, was 19th fastest aft pledging to marque a dependable commencement to his F1 career.
Among the reserve drivers who stepped in, McLaren's Ryo Hirakawa ended up 14th, up of Hadjar successful 16th.
Ayumu Iwasa was 17th successful Tsunoda's Red Bull, from Arthur Leclerc, Doohan and Briton Luke Browning successful the Williams.
It was an affectional time for the full Leclerc family. Their parent Pascale was successful the Ferrari pit, and connected Thursday Charles Leclerc spoke astir what it meant to the family, who mislaid begetter Herve to crab successful 2017.
"It is decidedly a very, precise peculiar infinitesimal for not lone me, not lone for Arthur, but I deliberation for the full family," Charles said, "because I tin lone spot however overmuch sacrifices my parents person done erstwhile I was younger for america to continue.
"They had to halt Arthur's vocation astatine 1 constituent due to the fact that they could not spend to wage for some of us. It is peculiar for however overmuch my begetter has fixed to assistance our careers. It is simply a dream, for some of us.
"I cognize however overmuch it meant for my begetter to beryllium capable to restart Arthur's career. When helium did that, helium was truthful happy. It's precise peculiar besides for that, for however overmuch my begetter has fixed to america successful bid to prosecute our dream. So it volition beryllium a infinitesimal I volition everlastingly retrieve for sure."
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