Ferrari may have set the pace in FP1 for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but with Charles Leclerc’s P1 came news that he’ll have a 10-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race.

Ferrari arrived at the Yas Marina circuit 21 points behind McLaren in the race for the 2024 Constructors’ Championship title while Leclerc could pip Norris to second in the Drivers’.

Charles Leclerc is facing a 10-place grid penalty

However, his weekend got off to the worst start possible as he spent the opening half of FP1 stuck in the garage while Ferrari replaced his SF-24’s Energy Store.

On track midway through the session, he worked his way up the timesheet before a late lap put him P1 by two-tenths ahead of Norris.

And the FIA broke the bad news:

FIA Formula One Technical Delegate Jo Bauer’s note read: “The energy store used by Charles Leclerc is the third (3rd) of the two (2) new energy stores allowed for the 2024 Championship season and this is not in conformity with Article 28.2 of the 2024 Formula One Sporting Regulations.”

That means Leclerc is facing a 10-place grid penalty.

F1 2024: Team-mate head-to-head stats

👉F1 2024: Head-to-head qualifying record between team-mates

👉F1 2024: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates

And with that Leclerc’s hope for a perfect weekend went up in smoke.

“On our side, we need to do everything perfect, that’s for sure,” he had told the media including PlanetF1.com on Thursday. “And by doing everything perfect, I really mean it.

“I think we need to finish first and second this weekend, and we need things to not go exactly the way they want at McLaren because on paper, they will be strong on this track as well.

“It’s also true that we’ve never won here in Abu Dhabi, so there’s quite a lot of work, but it’s not impossible.

“I think we’ve had the right approach in the last few races, and we’ve taken some points even on weekends where we did not expect to do so.

“On this weekend, we’re a bit more neutral, and we think that is going to be a positive weekend for us, I really hope that is the case, and that we can take that opportunity in order to win that championship, but it is a stretch.”

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