Italian journalist gives verdict on “a mortifying year for Ferrari”. Leo Turrini analyzes Max Verstappen’s Abu Dhabi pole position and Ferrari’s struggles.

How can Max Verstappen’s pole position in qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix be described? Perhaps the phrase chosen by the Red Bull pit wall, “Pure speed,” is truly the most fitting way to sum up the Dutchman’s achievement. Another gem that once again confirms his talent and the extraordinary comeback that has seen him recover as many as 104 points since Monza against the McLaren duo.

A pure racer, determined to keep the championship fight alive until the very last corner, Verstappen continues to apply pressure on championship leader Lando Norris. Despite a complicated qualifying session, Norris still managed to finish behind Verstappen, while beating his teammate Oscar Piastri.

Turrini has no doubts

Verstappen’s comeback was also analyzed on Leo Turrini’s blog “Profondo Rosso,” where the Italian journalist did not mince his words. For Turrini, the four-time world champion is one of the strongest drivers of the last fifty years. A judgment that would carry even more weight should Verstappen manage to win a title that, as Turrini points out, only Norris can lose, as he simply needs to bring his car to the finish line.

“What he has done so far,” Leo Turrini wrote, “to keep the dream of the Remuntada alive, honestly the gigantic Max could not have done more. Including the pole position in Abu Dhabi. […] I place him in the Top 5 of the modern era. After that, if Lando Norris is not hit by a meteorite, I don’t see how he could lose the championship.”

Ferrari… mortifying

Turrini then focused on Ferrari’s disappointing qualifying performance, with Charles Leclerc securing a miraculous fifth place despite a slow car, while Lewis Hamilton was once again eliminated in Q1. This added another chapter to the most difficult period of his career and contributed to a negative record in the history of the Maranello team.

“We are Italian and presumably Ferrari fans,” Turrini wrote, “therefore depressed. Thankfully, the curtain is finally coming down on a mortifying season. Hamilton failing to get past Q1 for the third consecutive time (fourth including the Qatar Sprint) is beyond the limits of embarrassment. Especially when you look at Leclerc’s performances. Lewis says he has no more words. Neither do I.”