Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc capped off the 2024 Formula 1 season in spectacular fashion, clinching a podium finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Starting from 19th on the grid, Leclerc's performance was nothing short of impressive as he surged through the field to secure 3rd place. His teammate, Carlos Sainz, finished in 2nd, helping Ferrari end the season on a high note.
Leclerc's race was marked by a remarkable first lap, where he moved up from 19th to 8th, aided by bold overtaking maneuvers and incidents ahead, including a collision between Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen. As the race progressed, Ferrari’s strategic pit stop on lap 20 gave Leclerc an edge, allowing him to leapfrog several competitors and eventually secure his 3rd place finish after Verstappen’s penalty and a pit stop by Lewis Hamilton.
With this result, Leclerc finished the season with 356 points, taking 3rd place in the Drivers’ Championship, just behind Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, the latter claiming his 4th World Championship title.
Despite the podium finish, Ferrari's hopes of clinching the Constructors' Championship were dashed, with the team finishing 2nd, just 14 points behind McLaren. However, Leclerc expressed optimism, praising the team's strong second half of the season and promising to work even harder in 2025.
"We’ve made significant progress, and while we didn’t achieve our main goal, the foundation is solid for the future," said Leclerc, looking ahead to next year. Ferrari’s efforts have set the stage for a promising 2025 season, full of potential.