Charles Leclerc admitted that the lack of driveability in his Ferrari means he will either be “in the wall or through Q1”, with now just one more Formula 1 race to go in 2025.
The Monegasque qualified fifth for Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, showing his usual level of adaptability in coaxing the SF-25 around the Yas Marina Circuit.
Leclerc was more successful than team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who once again failed to make it through Q1, summing up a miserable year for the seven-time World Champion.
It has been a tumultuous campaign for the Scuderia, with just one race left to run to confirm its first winless season in four years.
Much of that has been down to the SF-25, a car that has courted criticism due to its significant flaws, which has cost both Leclerc and Hamilton better results.
Speaking after qualifying, Leclerc was quick to point out that he is controlling the car to the best of his ability and often leaves him with a dangerous choice.
“I’m driving the car as well and I can see how tricky the car is and how you’ve just got to go full commitment and it’s either in the wall or through Q1 and then you need to do the same in Q2 and then you need to do the same in Q3,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“And also for the understanding of the car, it’s much more difficult to understand something from the car when you really have to push to the absolute limit.”
Leclerc underlines ‘tricky situation’ Ferrari has endured in F1 2025
In FP3, Hamilton’s crash underlined his own issues with the car, which he has often said is “alien” to him and leaves him feeling vulnerable due to its lack of predictability.
Leclerc’s statement underlines how tricky the car is to drive, as he revealed that he almost suffered a similar fate to Hamilton during his push laps throughout qualifying.
“In Q2, I thought I would put it into the wall quite a few times and that makes it difficult to also improve the car just like probably the McLaren or Red Bull do,” he said.
“By pushing a little bit less in Q1 and Q2, you understand more about what’s going on with the car. So, yeah, it’s a tricky situation we are in.”
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