In a role-reversal of last season, it is Mercedes who currently occupy the runners-up spot behind runaway F1ꦬ champions Red Bull, but only by the slenderest of margins. 

A resurgent Ferrari are breathing down Mercedes’🉐 necks and are just fourﷺ points adrift as they head into the Yas Marina finale looking to overhaul their main rivals, having outscored them by 16 points last time out in Las Vegas. 

The💫 difference in position is thought to be worth around £8m ($10m). 

Ferrari’s Cha✃rles Leclerc ended an eventful Friday practice fastest, while his teammate Carlos Sainz wrecked his car in a heavy crash during FP2. 

A🦩sked what is at stake, F1 commentator David Croft said: “Pride, absolute🌳ly. Ron Dennis, the old McLaren boss, was famous for saying that ‘second is the first of the losers’.

“But I think, in a season where Red Bull have dominated and been so consistent with it, that pride for P2 is to show the best recovery, or the best of the rest.💃 It takes on more importance this year.

“Ferrari believe that Mercedes may be better suited to this track than they are. They mi🌸ght have pace over one lap but they believe Mercedes have better race pace.

"The 🉐four-point di🗹fference will go right down to the wire.

“Wouldn’t it be great, on the last lap, to see an overtake for a team to 🥃get second-place! I remember Norr🎉is did it for McLaren further down the championship order.

He continued: “Was it pride that was holding Mercedes back when, last year, they should have swit🍬ched the development of the car anꦍd changed the concept sooner? I think it might have been. 

“Their recovery has been superb thiꦿs year. If they could finish second, it is a huge boost going into next year for team and drivers. For the drivers to have faith in the team, and for the team to realise they still have winning potential. 

“But they will probably end up with no wins this season. For Hamilton🧸 to go two seasons without a win? Unheard of.”

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur said ahead of the season finale that he beliไeves the momentum is with his side in the batt🥃le to secure second. 

Assessing Ferrari’s chances, fellow Sky pundit ꦍNaomi Schiff said: “Their Achilles’ heel is that they don’t have enough 🌜pace on the Sunday, rather than having too much on Saturday. 

“They’ve been worki🃏ng towards that, it seems a little better than last season. I don’t think they are quite there yet. They are still more dominant ꦬon Saturdays. It is a concern for them."