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Ferrari might face another setback in its battle for the World Championship against McLaren as Charles Leclerc is reported to be suffering from food poisoning. The Monegasque driver was earlier given a 10-place grid penalty for the race after taking a new energy store.
Jean Alesi reported that Leclerc has been feeling unwell and might be suffering from food poisoning. This, along with the grid penalty, could hamper Ferrari's final chance of winning the 2024 F1 constructors' championship. There is a 21-point gap between McLaren and Ferrari in the standings with the Scuderia trailing.
Leclerc and Carlos Sainz would have to finish the race in a 1-2 to have a proper shot at the title and outscore their rivals by at least 22 points (if both the McLarens finish the race within the top 10).
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The battle between the two teams escalated after Red Bull lost its dominance at the top. Both teams have registered five victories this season and have been performing consistently throughout.
Despite the time penalty, the 27-year-old is focused on extracting the most from the weekend.
Charles Leclerc hopes for a "perfect" weekend in Abu Dhabi
As mentioned, the grid penalty could have a major effect on Ferrari's chances of winning its first championship since the 2008 season. Even team principal Fred Vasseur earlier mentioned that it is only a mathematical possibility, while the actual target is not so easy to achieve.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Charles Leclerc mentioned that this would have to be a perfect weekend from Ferrari.
"On our side, we need to do everything perfect, that’s for sure," he said. "And by doing everything perfect, I really mean it. I think we need to finish first and second this weekend, and we need things to not go exactly the way they want at McLaren because on paper, they will be strong on this track as well."
"It’s also true that we’ve never won here in Abu Dhabi, so there’s quite a lot of work, but it’s not impossible. I think we’ve had the right approach in the last few races, and we’ve taken some points even on weekends where we did not expect to do so."
The Yas Marina circuit is seemingly more favorable to McLaren and overtaking can be a bit difficult around the 3.2-mile circuit. Leclerc stated that it could be a "stretch" to win the championship, but the team is hoping to put in the maximum efforts.
"On this weekend, we’re a bit more neutral, and we think that is going to be a positive weekend for us, I really hope that is the case, and that we can take that opportunity in order to win that championship, but it is a stretch," Charles Leclerc said.
While it is currently tough to say if Ferrari will defeat McLaren to win the world championship in Abu Dhabi, the team's improved form over the course of the 2024 season could lead to a headstart in 2025. Charles Leclerc will then be joined by 7-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton as he prepares to race with Mercedes for one last time this Sunday.
