Charles Leclerc has expressed concerns over Ferrari’s challenging start to the 2025 Formula 1 season, describing it as “worse than expected.” After a competitive end to the 2024 season, where Ferrari fought for the constructors’ championship and finished just shy of McLaren by 14 points, Leclerc anticipated a strong continuation into 2025. However, the initial performances have not matched these expectations.
Speaking to the press in Bahrain, Leclerc remarked, “These first races have been worse than expected, and we really hope that we can be back up to fight at the front with McLaren. So, I hope the warm weather will help us.” The F1 circuit returns to Bahrain following pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, which was held in February.
When probed about the disparity between testing data and the team’s current performance, Leclerc clarified that the team’s heightened expectations stemmed from the strong momentum achieved at the end of the previous year. “I’m speaking more about the expectations that we finished last year, where we are in a good momentum with the team, that you’ve got a good car, then obviously the expectations of what you are trying to target at least as a team is to at least start from there and try and improve,” he explained.
The Monegasque driver expressed disappointment at the perceived regression at the start of 2025, stating, “So on that, we were a little bit disappointed to see that we had gone a step back at the beginning of this year. After this testing, as we said, it’s very difficult to know where you are. I felt like we maybe kind of saw straight away that McLaren was very strong, but it was still to be confirmed.”
With McLaren’s strength now evident, Leclerc hopes Ferrari can reverse their fortunes. “Now it’s confirmed and I hope that we can turn that situation around. There’s a lot of work in the background, obviously. I think that the last weekend has been more or less where we are as a team, where we stand as a team. We’ve got a few new parts here, which I hope will help us to close that gap a little bit,” he added.
The Ferrari team, based in Maranello, faced a tricky start in 2025. Leclerc finished eighth in Australia, while Hamilton, in his debut race with Ferrari, came tenth. The situation further soured at the Chinese Grand Prix, where both drivers were disqualified—Leclerc for not meeting the minimum weight and Hamilton for excessive plank wear. In the Japanese Grand Prix, Leclerc secured fourth place, and Hamilton finished seventh.
As the season proceeds, the impact of these early setbacks could influence their championship aspirations. Charles Leclerc remains hopeful despite initial setbacks, but Ferrari faces an uphill battle to close the gap on McLaren and regain their competitive edge. The team will need strategic adjustments and continued innovation to fortify their position on the grid, striving to meet and exceed the formidable challenges ahead.
