It was a battle lost from the start, a foreseen defeat that, almost magically, turned into a bitter blow, leaving Ferrari fans and everyone hoping to see the Prancing Horse back on top of the world deeply regretful.
The championship drought continues
This is how the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP, the final act of a thrilling season filled with constant twists and turns, can be summarized. The title fight finally brought back two of the most storied teams in the world to their peak, a level they hadn’t reached in years—16 years for Ferrari and an astounding 26 for McLaren.
And yet, despite everything, the defeated can feel (almost) as pleased and satisfied as the victors.
Raise your hand if, on the eve of the Bahrain GP, you imagined—or even considered—the possibility of seeing Red Bull dethroned so early, the team that had turned Formula 1 into Formula Boredom over the past two seasons.
Raise your hand if, after Lando Norris’s dominant victory in Singapore (and Charles Leclerc’s qualifying disaster), you thought Ferrari’s SF-24 could hold its ground until the very last lap against the papaya duo, who, despite some missteps during the season, wielded a true rocket in the MCL-38.
Yet Frederic Vasseur, in his first real year as team principal with a project and team entirely shaped to his vision, managed to deliver a dream. A dream that, with the help of Lewis Hamilton, could become reality in 12 months.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, often criticized (for reasons unknown), delivered performances at Yas Marina that confirmed their status as exceptional drivers. It’s further proof that Maranello now “just” needs to provide its drivers with a championship-caliber car and continue the remarkable progress shown this year.
McLaren’s triumph also carries a piece of Ferrari. This refers, of course, to Andrea Stella, who, after the bitter disappointment 14 years ago alongside Fernando Alonso, redeemed himself spectacularly, handing another painful Sunday to his former team.
However, 2025 could bring a new tune, with hopes that this latest championship disappointment transforms into fierce determination for Maranello, whose personnel know they cannot afford another failure.
“Ferrari will win next year,” declared Carlos Sainz without hesitation after the race, his final one in red. Carlos Sainz, who played a significant role in the resurgence of the two title contenders for 2024, will likely watch the podium battles from afar next season.
“Next year will be our year, I’m sure of it,” echoed Charles Leclerc, as if his gaze exchanged with Hamilton after the race already held meaning—perhaps a premonition.
The 2025 season, the last year of the ground-effect car generation, will likely be even more intense and competitive than this year.
Every team, including Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes, will aim to dethrone McLaren and reclaim the crown. The season has just ended, the adrenaline is fading, but the best is yet to come.
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