Charles Leclerc has been given a 10-place grid penalty for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after Ferrari replaced his energy store, a setback for the team’s hopes in the constructors’ championship battle with McLaren.
Leclerc had to wait in the pits for the first 20 minutes of FP1 in Abu Dhabi due to a suspected battery issue but eventually got on track alongside his younger brother, Arthur. However, by replacing the energy store, he exceeded the allowed two per season and must serve the grid penalty, which makes it much harder for Ferrari to stay in the championship race.
Ferrari are just 21 points behind McLaren, but to keep their title hopes alive, they need a near-perfect weekend, with Leclerc’s penalty now a significant challenge.
“The energy store used by Charles Leclerc is the third of the two allowed for the 2024 season, which is against the rules,” said a statement issued shortly before the end of FP1 at Yas Marina Circuit.
Despite the delay, Leclerc showed strong pace in FP1, topping the timesheets by 0.221s ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris. Ferrari now need to outscore McLaren by 22 points this weekend, making Leclerc’s performance vital.
