‘Like a victory’ (Gazzetta dello Sport); ‘The best possible result’ (Corriere dello Sport); ‘Ferrari Pride’ (La Repubblica); ‘Seconds and happy’ (Corriere della Sera) and ‘Consolation prize’ (La Stampa): these are the titles of the reports dedicated to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix by the main Italian sports and non-sports newspapers.
At the Yas Marina circuit, Charles Leclerc and Scuderia Ferrari achieved the only goals that had remained within reach for this last race of the season, given that Max Verstappen and Red Bull celebrated the titles up for grabs in 2022 very early.
The Leclerc-Ferrari duo offered a very solid performance that in some ways increases the regrets for a season which began beyond the most optimistic expectations and continued, however, with macroscopic errors:
“This year has shown that we are not mature enough and not ready to win”, said team principal Mattia Binotto. “It was vertigo. From desert to desert, from the one-two in Bahrain to being happy for two second places” – Corriere della Sera wrote after the last race of the 2022 Formula 1 season on Sunday – “The circle has closed, including the retirement of Sebastian Vettel. There is also Charles Leclerc, who secured second place in the Drivers World Championship, by defeating Sergio Perez like a true champion: the Monegasque was able to make the tyres last and was supported by a very smart Maranello pit wall. If only the pit wall would have done so other times, Charles would not have struggled so much. There was relief in the sight of the Monegasque, but also the awareness of having received the consolation prize.” – Corriere della Sera added.
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“What a warrior, Ferrari. The code name of a car and a team back on track in this World Championship to battle at the top after several difficult years, comes out with all its spirit in the last race” – we can read in the columns of La Repubblica – “There were two other goals up for grabs : 2nd place for drivers and constructors standings. Maranello takes them both. With intelligence and pride. Charles Leclerc, second, beats Sergio Perez (3rd) and is vice-champion. The Monegasque deserves it, after having dreamed of winning the title for a good part of the first half, then marred by reliability, mistakes from the pit wall, by his own inaccuracies and by a pace loss due to poor car development compared to the blue team” – La Repubblica wrote.
“Ferrari’s 2022 ends with consolation prizes” – begins the report in La Stampa – “Charles Leclerc resists Sergio Perez’s assault and takes away his second place at the finish line in Abu Dhabi and above all in the final standings. Ferrari keeps behind Mercedes and is second in the Constructors championship. Even the gaps from the world champions are reduced: Charles Leclerc has time to see the fireworks that light up the Yas Marina track and Max Verstappen’s 15th victory of the season. Ferrari is right to be happy: after the latest performances and the rumors that team principal Mattia Binotto was leaving, such a string display and show of pride was not a given”.
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