'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUG/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAX/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMHMC0f/xAAhEAABAwQBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAACAQMFAAQGIRESIjJRgf/aAAgBAQABPwDKs5npBy6jGJm7uoVC6WUPsbQOefHRL9ocjlmxQGrhGwHQgI6FPSbr/8QAGREAAQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQACAxEy/9oACAECAQE/ADEw6Fr/xAAbEQACAQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACIQEABAUREv/aAAgBAwEBPwAcjcjMkB87aVf/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Charles Leclerc was left disappointed after his race engineer denied his request for post-race donuts or burnouts at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
After challenging Max Verstappen on the opening lap, Leclerc eventually secured second place due to Perez's penalty.
Race winner Max Verstappen was seen doing donuts after winning the race, but when Leclerc asked for his team's permission to do donuts with his Ferrari, his race engineer Xavier Marcos denied the request via their team radio.
F1 drivers aren't usually allowed to do burnouts or donuts, as the teams only have a limited number of components at their disposal. But most drivers are allowed to do burnouts after the final race of the season, as a form of celebration.
Leclerc's request was denied though, and he had to park his car in the number two spot without any season finale burnouts. The Ferrari driver's disappointment was evident, but he had a smile on his face when he hopped on the podium to celebrate his second-place finish.
Fans sympathize with Charles Leclerc after he was denied post-race burnouts
Several F1 fans sympathized with Leclerc on social media after his request for post-race burnouts was denied. Although the driver had another disappointing season, struggling again with Ferrari's reliability and strategic issues, he remains a popular figure among fans.
Here are some of their reactions on Twitter (now known as X):
"i think he deserved some burnouts after the season he had 😭c'mon now," one fan wrote.
"He should just do and throw the car in the bin," another fan wrote.
Courtesy his second-place finish in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc wrapped up the 2023 season with 206 points. He is fifth in the drivers' standings, while his teammate Carlos Sainz is seventh with 200 points.
Ferrari secured third place in the constructors' championship with 406 points, right behind Mercedes with 409 points but well behind champions Red Bull who had 860 points.
