Ferrari managed to fall agonisingly short of ending their 16-year run without a Formula 1 championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc put up a magnificent effort to reach the podium from 19th on the grid, but it still wasn’t enough to help bring the constructors’ championship home.
Lando Norris was simply too quick at the front of the pack and soaked up the pressure applied by Carlos Sainz well to earn a much-deserved victory.
Sainz now leaves the regular race-win contending Ferrari team to join Williams, as Lewis Hamilton takes his spot in the team for 2026 – could it be the last time he steps onto the podium for a while?
Charles Leclerc upset as he says Ferrari goodbye to Carlos Sainz
Leclerc and Sainz were teammates for four long years together, helping to rebuild the famous red team from a midfield outfit to a championship contender.
They put in the hard miles, and now they have a faster car than Red Bull and Max Verstappen – who have claimed the last four consecutive drivers’ championships.
It sets them up for more success in 2025, but the ultimate hurdle will be overcoming McLaren, who have been in the ascendancy equally as much as them.
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There are a few things that could be looked at as difference makers in the title fight, including things such as Leclerc’s Abu Dhabi penalty of Sainz’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix crash with Sergio Perez.
Speaking on his radio after the race, he wished Sainz well and shared his disappointment at the Spaniard not being able to sign off with a championship victory.
“I’m sorry that today wasn’t enough. It hurts a lot, I really wanted to win in Carlos’ last season with us. It was an absolute pleasure to work with him and I wish him the best.”
What can Sainz do with Williams in 2025?
Sainz joins a Williams team that hasn’t finished on the podium for seven years but have worked hard to catch up with their rivals recently.
Team boss James Vowles was an incredibly savvy hire and has helped to bring infrastructure that they have lacked for years.
It’s a platform for them to kick on from, and they have a proven driver pairing now, with Alex Albon remaining with them for the next few seasons too.
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They have lofty ambitions, but Vowles has already written off 2025 as a year for learning before the real business starts again with the new technical regulations in 2026.
It’s a long-term project with big ambitions, but leading the Grove-based team to success at the front would be a massive achievement and is the biggest challenge of Sainz’s career without a doubt.
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