Last year’s Qatar Grand Prix was notorious for the treacherous conditions and intense heat faced by the drivers during the race.
Logan Sargeant fell so ill, that he was allowed to retire from the race on safety grounds – so Formula 1 pushed the race back this year.
Held at a cooler time of year now, the race is still a demanding one for the drivers but didn’t test their fitness level quite as much.
That being said, somehow, Ferrari still found a way to test Charles Leclerc in the desert, with a silly error which would have made things slightly more uncomfortable.
Peter Windsor criticises ‘bizarre’ Ferrari mistake in Qatar
Leclerc was forced to compete in this year’s Qatar Grand Prix without his drink, after a mistake when hooking it up.
Last year, that would have been unsurvivable, but he pushed through this year to reach the podium and secure a crucial result in the constructors’ championship battle.
Peter Windsor has criticised the Scuderia for their mistake though, insisting that it isn’t something that should be going wrong.
“He couldn’t get his drink bottle to work, there’s something to do with a clip under the balaclava for it,” he said.
“You think they would have sorted all that out long before they get in the racecar, wouldn’t you? He was going on about how it’s a double-fastening, and they’ve got to make the single-fastening.
“Why aren’t they doing that stuff at Fiorano or somewhere? It seems bizarre to me that that would be a problem.”
Why Leclerc needs to deliver another miracle in Abu Dhabi
The upcoming season finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will decide whether McLaren or Ferrari will end 16-year championship droughts.
The papaya outfit lead the way by 21 points, which means that Leclerc and teammate Carlos Sainz need to produce some magic.
A one-two would solve their problems, but McLaren were quicker than them in Qatar, and there will be similar conditions in Abu Dhabi.
Leclerc should have his drinks system available to him next time, which will be a bonus, but he will be more focused on bringing glory home to Ferrari for the first time since he joined them.
It means that there could be an incredibly feisty showdown between the two teams and a Max Verstappen with nothing to lose waiting in the wings too.
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