Ferrari have been consistent enough this season to find themselves in the race for the constructors championship heading into the season finale.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will see the Scuderia go head-to-head with McLaren to end a 16-year silverware drought.
For the first time in a while, they have maintained a positive development direction throughout the season and it sets them up well heading into 2025.
Lewis Hamilton will arrive next year and bring yet more championship-winning experience, so expect to see them challenging for yet more titles.
Ferrari are ‘positively surprised’ by new 2025 parts
After the successful trial run of a new floor for 2025 with Carlos Sainz at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was handed the responsibility of testing it in Qatar.
The more testing conducted with the components, the stronger the correlation they will be able to establish between the data on their screens and the results on track.
AutoRacer.it reports that the Scuderia were ‘positively surprised’ by the results of the floor, which adapted well to the qualities of this year’s car.
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The running was most significant for Leclerc, who remains with them for 2025, as Sainz heads to Williams for a few seasons.
The upgrades will also be taken to Abu Dhabi next weekend for further testing, helping to give them a really strong understanding of the part in real conditions – not just a wind tunnel.
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Ferrari’s plan with this new component is to continue to understand it and test different setup configurations with a view to getting a headstart for 2025.
Their focus will have to shift before the serious running on Saturday though, with near-miracles required for them to beat McLaren to the constructors’ title.
21 points is a huge swing, and they will require both cars to be on the podium if they are to stand any real chance of winning.
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It would be the perfect send-off to Sainz, and a beautiful moment for Leclerc, who has waited six seasons to bring a title back to Maranello.
If they fall short, they can remain comfortable with the idea that they are in a great position for next year, and with Hamilton arriving, should be even stronger.
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