Charles Leclerc's brother Arthur Leclerc replaces Carlos Sainz for the F1 Abu Dhabi GP FP1
Arthur Leclerc is going to be Charles Leclerc's partner for the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix FP1 on Friday (Dec. 6), replacing Carlos Sainz. The Monegasque driver will script history as he is set to run a session with Charles as brothers and teammates at Ferrari.
Formula 1 will venture into the United Arab Emirates for the final race of the 2024 season. Max Verstappen has already claimed the Drivers' Championship in Las Vegas, whereas McLaren and Ferrari will go head-to-head for the Constructors' Championship on Sunday.
Sainz will race one last time in the Scarlet Ferrari before he moves to Williams next season to race alongside Alex Albon. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton will part ways with Mercedes after 12 years and switch his allegiance to Ferrari next season.
Ferrari shared a post from their official X account to reveal the news of the Leclerc brothers taking charge of FP1 on Friday. Here's what the Italian team wrote:
"Making Formula 1 history. @Charles_leclerc and @arthur_leclerc7 will be taking part in Friday’s FP1 season as team-mates. You won't want to miss this."
Arthur Leclerc currently serves as the development driver for Scuderia Ferrari. He most recently competed in the 2024 European Le Mans Series for Panis Racing and the 2024 Italian GT Endurance Championship for Scuderia Baldini.
The 24-year-old is the younger brother of the eight-time Grand Prix winner and Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc and is the youngest of the three (Lorenzo and Charles Leclerc). He is also a former member of the Ferrari Driver Academy.
Ferrari boss vowed to fight till the 'last lap' for Constructors' Championship with Charles Leclerc and company
Ferrari and McLaren are going head-to-head in the Constructors' Championship in Abu Dhabi. The Prancing Horse is currently 21 points behind the Papayas after 23 races and six sprints. As the title decider is all set to take place at Yas Marina on Sunday, Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur vowed to fight till the end.
"We are scoring more points than McLaren, we are still alive for the championship, Charles is not far away now from Norris I think in P2 on the drivers’ side. Overall it’s a good result," Vasseur said (via Formula1.com).
“I would prefer to have 20 points ahead than 20 points behind! But let’s see, I think on paper that the next one is probably a bit better for us also. Let’s fight until the last corner of the last lap,” he added.
Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, will also fancy P2 in the Drivers' Championship as he is eight points behind McLaren's Lando Norris.
Defending champions Red Bull are out of the Constructors' Championship after Sergio Perez failed to help the Austrian team stay alive in the competition.