Mercedes Fight 'All That Matters' To Leclerc This Weekend

Sunday, 26 November 2023 at 12:00

Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc made clear what his goal is going into the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit.

Mercedes and Ferrari's fight will be the main thing to look out for during the race on Sunday. The F1 teams are currently separated by only four points in the Constructors' Championship, and every single position gained is crucial for the drivers.

George Russell predicted Qualifying might go better for Ferrari as their car tends to be better suited for one-shot all-out fast laps, but he also said he was confident in Mercede's pace come Sunday race.

The qualification turned out not to be so great for the Italian team, as Carlos Sainz got knocked out already in Q1. While his teammate Charles Leclerc achieved the 5th consecutive front-row start, Ferrari is not in an ideal position going into the race.

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Fortunately for the Italian team, the Qualifying session was also not very clean for Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton could not reach the top ten, and Russell's best effort was only good enough for P4.

Concerning the race on Sunday, the Monegasque driver remains hopeful. The two Ferrari drivers go into the race, separated by the two Mercedes drivers, so we are in for an exciting race. Leclerc told the media:

“"I hope it's going to go well. The target is to beat them in the Constructors' Championship, so I really hope Carlos can have a great start and then join me in the fight."”

While it will take some time for Sainz to catch up, Russell will start behind Leclerc, so the Ferrari driver might be under a lot of pressure right from the beginning of the Grand Prix race. The 26-year-old concluded:

“"Let's try and put both of our cars in front of both Mercedes' and come back home with a second place in the Constructors'. That is all that matters to me this weekend."”