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Leclerc admits ‘a little bit disappointed’ after missing out on pole in Mexico
By Hugo Harvey – Mexico City, October 25, 2025
Charles Leclerc has admitted that he was “a little bit disappointed” to have narrowly missed out on pole position for the 2025 Mexico City Grand Prix, after what he described as one of the trickiest qualifying sessions of the season. The Ferrari driver will line up second on the grid, alongside Lando Norris, after a fierce battle for top spot at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Saturday.
Leclerc, who had looked competitive throughout the weekend, fell just 0.262 seconds short of Norris’ pole time. The Monegasque set the pace early in Q3 and briefly held provisional pole with a strong opening flying lap. However, a blistering final effort from Norris in the closing stages pushed the McLaren driver ahead, leaving Leclerc to settle for P2.
Despite showing consistent speed across all three qualifying segments, Leclerc revealed that his Ferrari SF-25 had been difficult to handle due to persistent grip and balance issues. He admitted that the team had been fighting the car’s instability since Friday, making qualifying a tough challenge.
“This qualifying session was very, very difficult because there was so little grip,” Leclerc explained after stepping out of the car. “The car was sliding around a lot, so putting everything together was tricky. But honestly, I’m quite happy with the job we’ve done overall.”
Still, the 27-year-old confessed that there was a sense of what might have been, especially after finding himself in provisional pole position before Norris’ late surge.
“There’s a part of me that is still a little bit disappointed,” Leclerc admitted. “When I saw I was P1 in Q3 with a good lap, I thought maybe it was possible to go for pole. But in the end, Lando did a great job – a fantastic final lap. He improved massively from the first to the second run in Q3, and I can’t really be disappointed with that.”
Leclerc’s performance, however, was another positive sign for Ferrari following their strong display at the United States Grand Prix last weekend, where the Monegasque claimed third place. It marked Ferrari’s first podium since Canada, and Leclerc’s first since June. Heading into Mexico, he had not been entirely confident about repeating that result, but his pace in qualifying has now given him fresh motivation.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s 71-lap race, Leclerc acknowledged that the start would be crucial, given the long run from the grid to Turn 1 — one of the most dramatic opening sequences on the calendar. Starting from the front row offers opportunity but also poses a challenge, as the driver in P2 often finds themselves on the dirtier side of the track, where grip levels are significantly lower.
“There will be a lot of focus on the start,” Leclerc said. “The run to Turn 1 here is very long, and we need to make the best possible getaway. Honestly, I wish I was starting P3 because you can get a bit of a slipstream from the cars ahead. In my position, I’ll probably have no tow, and starting on the dirty side doesn’t help either.”
Nevertheless, the Ferrari star remained optimistic about his race chances, insisting he would focus on executing a clean start and capitalising on any opportunities during the opening lap. “I’ll just focus on what I can control,” he continued. “I’ll do my best from where I start, and hopefully, that will be enough to take the lead into Turn 1.”
After securing a front-row start in Mexico for the second consecutive year, Leclerc will now aim to convert his strong qualifying form into another podium finish — something he has not achieved in back-to-back races since the Monaco and Spanish Grands Prix earlier in the season.
As he prepares for Sunday’s battle against Norris and the chasing pack that includes Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen, Leclerc knows that Ferrari will need to manage their tyres and strategy perfectly in the thin air of Mexico City’s high altitude.
For Leclerc, what started as a weekend filled with uncertainty has quickly turned into one full of potential — proof once again that in Formula 1, a single day can change everything.
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