BREAKING:Charles Leclerc Admits Struggles Against Hamilton After…read more
BREAKING:Charles Leclerc Admits Struggles Against Hamilton After…read more
Charles Leclerc has acknowledged his difficulties in matching Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton’s pace after finishing fifth in the sprint race at the F1 Chinese Grand Prix. The Monegasque driver openly admitted he is not maximizing the car’s potential and needs to improve his approach behind the wheel.
Leclerc: “I’m Not Doing the Right Things in the Car
Leclerc crossed the line in fourth but lost out to Mercedes’ George Russell on Lap 1, ultimately finishing 12 seconds behind race winner Hamilton. Despite Ferrari showing strong tyre management, Leclerc was unable to challenge the leaders and trailed his teammate by a significant margin.
Speaking after the sprint, Leclerc took responsibility for his struggles, conceding that Hamilton is simply extracting more from the Ferrari package.
“I mean, the potential is there clearly because Lewis is using it I am not. I have got some work to do,” Leclerc told Sky Sports “Historically, I struggle a lot here, but that’s not an excuse. I need to learn, and right now, it seems like I’m not doing the right things in the car.”
With the main race still ahead, Leclerc remains hopeful of turning his form around, adding:
“We’ve got this afternoon to try and figure it out. Tomorrow is the real test, and I hope we can find something. I went with a slightly different setup compared to Lewis, but I don’t think that’s the main factor. We will try to move toward his direction, and I will focus on improving my driving.”
Ferrari’s Strong Comeback in Shanghai
Ferrari’s resurgence in China marks a stark contrast to their disappointing start to the season in Australia. In Melbourne, Leclerc and Hamilton only managed seventh and eighth in qualifying, finishing the race in P8 and P10 after a strategic miscalculation on tyre changes. It was Ferrari’s worst start to a season since 2009.
Now, however, the Scuderia appears to be the team to beat, as McLaren underperformed in sprint qualifying, and Lando Norris made a crucial mistake at the start of the sprint race. Both Norris and Oscar Piastri had shown strong pace in practice, but with track position proving vital due to high tyre degradation, Ferrari now seems poised to fight for victory in Sunday’s Grand Prix.
