Charles Leclerc’s emotional farewell to Carlos Sainz and the 2025 promise: “It hurts so much”. The disappointment is overwhelming for Charles Leclerc in Abu Dhabi.

A stellar start and an extraordinary comeback weren’t enough. Charles Leclerc and Ferrari had to let go of their dream of the Constructors’ Championship at the Abu Dhabi GP. The Monegasque’s bitter disappointment leaves room for a 2025 promise in his team radio at the checkered flag.

It took only a few laps for Charles Leclerc to climb from the back of the grid to eighth place. Aggressive and determined, his race was flawless: the 1997-born driver maximized his performance, securing an unexpected podium after Friday’s penalty.

“I don’t know what to say,” the Ferrari driver began in his team radio, addressing his engineer Bryan Bozzi. “It hurts. It hurts so much,” Charles Leclerc admitted. “Thank you all for all the effort you’ve put in this year. It wasn’t enough, but next year will be our year, I’m sure of it.”

The optimism for 2025 attempts to ease the pain of a hope extinguished only in the final laps at Yas Marina. Charles Leclerc sincerely thanked the team, which achieved a remarkable championship recovery after a challenging early summer phase: “Thank you again for all the hard work, thank you for never giving up,” continued a disappointed and emotional Charles on the team radio.

Then came a heartfelt farewell to his now-former teammate Carlos Sainz: “I truly hoped we could crown this final season together with the Constructors’ Championship. It’s been an immense pleasure working with him, and I wish him all the best. Thank you again for everything. I’m sorry today wasn’t enough.”