Ferrari throws away pole with Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc to start last | 2024 F1 Abu Dhabi GP qualifying. 2024 F1 Abu Dhabi GP qualifying review.

Ferrari continued to deliver underwhelming performances in in the third free practice session for the 2024 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit. The two red cars were essentially anything but fast, although the balance had improved compared to yesterday. The team ran a differentiated program for the Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz where they tested two different types of tires for most of the session. Sainz continued working on setup optimization with Medium tires, progressively improving the car’s handling. Meanwhile, Charles “equipped” the Soft compounds to expand his technical knowledge.

In the first case, referring to the Spaniard, things didn’t seem bad chronometrically. Meanwhile, in the second, the Monegasque was not satisfied. Leclerc tried a short run to understand whether the red compounds could provide performance and reliability in the first stint. In the last part of the session, the two SF-24s returned to the track to test their single-lap pace. The results were not good, far from those achieved by McLaren. It seems the hysteresis cycle of this compound didn’t play out as expected, with some overheating in the rear tires during Sector 3.

Before the final qualifying session of the season, there was still time to evaluate some setup changes. This move came after analyzing data, which, at least theoretically, could guide the Maranello team toward a possible adjustment. All that was left was to wait for qualifying to determine whether Ferrari’s performance was simply as it appeared or whether, with a better approach to various factors, the performance could improve significantly in a weekend that is certainly not going in the right direction.

Now let’s take a look at how events unfolded for Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in the qualifying session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix:

The two Ferrari drivers are in their cars. Everything is ready for the start of this crucial session for the team in the grand scheme of the weekend. It is crucial to give their best if they hope to remain in contention for the Constructors’ title. This, despite their less-than-exceptional form and the 10-place grid penalty for Leclerc due to a battery pack replacement. The SF-24 engines are fired up. Shortly after, the mechanics signal the two Ferrari drivers to leave the pit lane.

For this first outing, both cars are fitted with a set of Pirelli tires marked with red rings. It will be interesting to see how the hysteresis cycle plays out to achieve maximum grip from the tires. Meanwhile, night falls over Yas Marina. During the out-lap, the pace of the cars is quite brisk. The goal is to put the right amount of energy into the tires, bearing in mind that temperatures are lower than in FP3. Observing Sainz’s dashboard, the front axle seems fine.

In contrast, the front end is slightly cooler, possibly a tactic to avoid overheating in Abu Dhabi’s third sector. The first attempt is good enough for the Ferrari drivers to be called back to the garage. Sainz appears more in control, while Leclerc continues to struggle a bit in the last corner, where he cannot hold the line optimally. Overall, the SF-24 cars still display good balance. Riccardo Adami suggests accelerating earlier at Turn 5 in the next run, even though Carlos Sainz is currently the fastest, leading his teammate by two-tenths and slightly more over the McLaren cars.

To advance past the cut, another attempt is necessary. Charles is the first to enter the pit lane with brand-new Soft tires, followed shortly by his teammate. Once again, the out lap is quite brisk, and track position appears good. Push mode is activated on the final corner, and then it’s full throttle. Leclerc runs slightly wide at Turn 5 and Turn 9 and once again struggles at the final corner. Despite this, the Monegasque takes the lead, while Carlos doesn’t even start his lap, already safe.

The first qualifying cut required Ferrari, unlike McLaren, to use a second set of red-banded tires. In both cases, the initial lap times were sufficient, but the Scuderia preferred not to risk a failure. The high-profile elimination in Q1 was Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari’s future driver. After a brief pause to regain focus and composure, the drivers returned to battle on the track. Both SF-24 cars were equipped with red-banded Pirelli tires, though now using a scrubbed set.

At this stage of qualifying, it would become clear who truly had a shot at pole position. The Ferrari drivers were more cautious with tire activation this time, given the scrubbed set. They maintained this approach for most of the lap, pushing slightly harder in the final corners. Charles’ lap was promising, but traffic from Gasly in Sector 3 forced a mistake that slowed him down significantly.

Sainz also encountered heavy traffic and reported it over the radio. Despite these challenges, the Ferraris appeared “clean” in these laps, approaching the apexes more effectively and covering fewer unnecessary meters. The cars returned to the garage, where fresh red-banded tires were mounted. Two minutes later, they were back on track. The pit lane was crowded, but the team assured the drivers they had enough time to complete their out laps and attempt their final runs in this phase of qualifying.

The out laps were again brisk, and the warm-up strategy seemed to be working well. Engine revs climbed, as did hybrid system output. Push mode was activated, and it was full throttle. The Ferrari drivers set the fastest times. However, at Turn 1, Charles exceeded track limits, resulting in his lap being deleted. This left him in 14th place, which, combined with his 10-place grid penalty, meant he would start last. It couldn’t have gone worse for the Monegasque, who made a critical error in this instance.

Ferrari was left with just one contender. With Charles out of the picture, the chances of winning the Constructors’ Championship were almost nonexistent. In Formula 1, you can never say never until the last corner of the Grand Prix, but starting last is a heavy blow. The team might consider changing the remaining power unit components, hoping for some extra horsepower. Meanwhile, Q3 was still to be contested, with only Sainz representing Ferrari. The Spaniard appeared to have a shot at pole against the McLarens and Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.

It was time to give it everything. Carlos Sainz took to the track with used tires for his first run. As before, he avoided pushing the tires too hard. This lap was intended to gauge track evolution before switching to fresh compounds. His initial lap was solid, but it needed to be topped off with a final attempt on pristine Softs. Carlos meticulously prepared his lap, following the same routine as before.

His performance, however, was not flawless. In Sector 1, he made a mistake. At Turn 7 in Sector 2, he applied throttle too early and had to correct the car on exit. In the final corner, he once again made an adjustment. The Spanish driver could have done much better, ultimately securing only third place when pole position was within reach without those errors. Ferrari failed to optimize a qualifying session that could have resulted in a front-row lockout for the team, even though Charles Leclerc has a ten-place grid penalty and whould have started from outside the top ten anyway. At this point, hope lies solely in the eyes of the fans. We await tomorrow, but the Maranello team seems to have handed the Constructors’ title on a silver platter to McLaren.

— see video above —