Charles Leclerc insists Ferrari 'need' to beat Mercedes in Abu Dhabi showdown

Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc — Photo: © LAT Images

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Leclerc insists Ferrari 'need' to beat Mercedes in Abu Dhabi showdown

There is a huge scrap going on for the title of 'best of the rest'

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Saturday 25 November 2023 07:27

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Charles Leclerc has stated that Ferrari need to beat Mercedes to second place in the constructors' championship ahead of this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Ferrari go into the season-ending race with a four-point deficit to Mercedes, knowing that they will need their drivers to outperform Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.

Whilst Toto Wolff has been rather disconsolate about the idea of battling for second, rather than first, the difference in prize money is likely to be in the 10s of millions, meaning the title of 'best of the rest' is worth more than just kudos.

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This has been reiterated by both Ferrari drivers, who, speaking ahead of the weekend, were excited about the battle.

“I'd love us to finish P2, that would be great for the team," Leclerc told Canal+.

"We've done a lot of hard work. We started the season badly, we thought we'd be fighting for the titles, but we quickly realised that wasn't going to be the case. So we need to finish P2.”

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has had a season filled with inconsistencies

Carlos Sainz claimed Ferrari's only race win of the season, at the Singapore Grand Prix

Both Toto Wolff and Fred Vasseur are ready for battle at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Sainz feeling Ferrari pressure

There is also the added incentive for both drivers this weekend of finishing as high up in the drivers' championship as possible.

Carlos Sainz currently holds fourth position, but has a real challenge on his hands to keep that with even Leclerc down in seventh still mathematically able to claim that fourth spot. The Spaniard is just focused on the team's battle, however.

“It's a good goal to aim for and it intensifies the last race," Sainz said.

"We're all tired, we've travelled a lot. Feeling that intensity and that pressure in the last race, to finish second, will be a good thing.”