BREAKING: Charles Leclerc Reveals Major Shortcomings in Ferrari’s…read more
BREAKING: Charles Leclerc Reveals Major Shortcomings in Ferrari’s…read more
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has pinpointed the areas where the team’s 2025 Formula 1 challenger, the SF-25, is struggling, as the Italian outfit finds itself trailing rivals just two races into the season.
Leclerc revealed that Ferrari’s performance in medium and high-speed corners is not competitive enough to challenge McLaren, which currently leads the standings. The team, which had high expectations after a strong finish to 2024, is languishing in fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship, already 61 points behind McLaren.
While Ferrari’s poor start has been exacerbated by costly mistakes—such as strategic missteps in Australia and a double disqualification in China its overall pace has also been underwhelming. Despite showing glimpses of promise, such as Leclerc topping FP2 in Melbourne and Lewis Hamilton securing victory in the Shanghai Sprint, Ferrari has struggled for consistency.
Leclerc suggested that while the SF-25 has made strides in high-speed performance compared to its predecessor, it may have come at a cost elsewhere.
“Honestly, it’s never just one thing,” Leclerc admitted. “In Melbourne qualifying, McLaren was much stronger in the final sector, which could be due to tires. But in the race, our overall pace was lacking whether in low or high-speed corners or even tire degradation. We made a big step in high speed, but low and medium speed is where we need to focus now.”
Tough Weekend in China
Ferrari endured another challenging race in China, with Leclerc finishing as the highest-placed Ferrari driver before his disqualification. The Monegasque driver had to fight through the race after early contact with Hamilton left him missing an endplate.
“I think we were generally quick,” Leclerc reflected. **”We saw it in the Sprint with Lewis and towards the end of the stint, where I was very strong. The car felt much better today, and I think there was more potential.
“I was losing a lot of front grip, and 30 points less downforce is a huge amount. If the car was faster like that, we’d have a serious problem.”
As Ferrari looks ahead to the next round, the team will be aiming to address its weaknesses and close the gap to McLaren and Red Bull.
