Charles Leclerc Expresses Disappointment Over Ferrari’s Performance at 2025 F1 Miami Grand Prix
Despite Ferrari‘s assurance of maximizing the pace of their 2025 Formula 1 car, Charles Leclerc found himself eighth on the grid after qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix. His teammate, Lewis Hamilton, was relegated to 12th position following a challenging dry qualifying session.
Ferrari Lacks Raw Performance Compared to Rivals
Leclerc admitted his frustration, stating that while he felt they were maximizing the car’s potential, the car simply lacked the raw performance to compete with McLaren, Red Bull, or Mercedes. “It is frustrating,” he said. “Even more so because this weekend I felt we were maximizing the potential of the car. It’s just that the potential of the car is not there.
Leclerc expressed satisfaction with his final qualifying effort but lamented the results, stating, “We are just not fast. Whatever we do with the car – we can run it in different ways, but we just don’t have the downforce that the others have at the moment.
Miami International Autodrome Highlights Ferrari’s Low-Speed Weakness
Leclerc believes that tracks like the 5.41km Miami International Autodrome, with its slower corners, further expose Ferrari‘s weaknesses. “I think a track like this also highlights our weaknesses,” he pointed out. “There are a lot of low-speed corners, and both Williams [cars] are in front of us – and I consider my lap a good one. So, I think it’s pretty easy to understand where we are lacking.
Leclerc’s Sprint Race Crash and Its Impact
Before the start of the wet-to-dry sprint race, Leclerc aquaplaned into the wall on his way to the grid. He admitted that the mistake was completing the laps to the grid on intermediates when there was a lot of standing water on the track. “In the first place the mistake was to be out on inter tyres with those track conditions,” he said. The crash made the day more difficult for both Leclerc and the mechanics, but he feels he hasn’t paid the price for it in Sunday’s main grand prix.
