Charles Leclerc identified Ferrari’s ability to handle the kerbs and bumps effectively as a crucial factor behind their strong showing at the 2025 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix. The race weekend marked the best result so far this season for both Leclerc and the Scuderia. Leclerc qualified and finished second, securing Ferrari’s second podium of the year while pushing McLaren’s Lando Norris hard in the closing stages.
Before the race, Leclerc had tempered expectations because the Ferrari SF-25 has struggled with low-speed cornering throughout the season. Although McLaren maintained an advantage in this area, Ferrari’s superior handling of the rougher sections of the Monaco circuit helped close the gap significantly. This advantage ultimately allowed Leclerc to mount a challenge for the lead during the race.
At the FIA press conference following the Grand Prix, Leclerc expressed a measured satisfaction with the result, reflecting on the team’s difficult start to the campaign and the significance of the points gained.
“I’m never really happy with second place,”
Leclerc said.
Then if you do a step back and you look at our season, I think this is a very positive result for the whole team. Especially coming here, we had very low expectations, just because our low-speed performance has been very bad all season. However, I think here, it’s a very specific track because there are a lot of bumps, a lot of kerb riding, and I think our car is pretty good on that. That helped us to close the gap. So, yeah, I think we did a really good job, and 18 points plus the 10 of Lewis are very valuable points for the situation we are in. On that, I think we should be proud. Am I over the moon for a second place? Not really, but it’s been a very positive weekend anyway.”
—Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Driver
Leclerc Details His Battle with Lando Norris During Race
Throughout the race, Leclerc frequently closed in on Lando Norris, who was held up behind Max Verstappen for much of the event. Leclerc revealed that overtaking Norris was a strong focus for him, and he contemplated various strategies to secure the win as the race unfolded.
“It’s very difficult. When Max at the end was in front, I really believed in it until the very end,”
Leclerc explained.
I thought about it all night, the two or three places where I could try something on Lando, and I was willing to take all the risks possible to try and get that win. But, unfortunately, these opportunities never came.
Or at least I had maybe two or three laps where I was like, OK, maybe I go for it,
he continued,
but Lando straight away saw those and defended very well. So I basically couldn’t really go and try something. At the end, there were no opportunities for me.
—Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Driver
Ferrari’s Strong Performance Offers Encouragement Amid Challenging Season
This second-place finish at Monaco not only provides valuable championship points but also signals progress for Ferrari’s 2025 campaign, which has been marred by weaknesses in several areas, including low-speed cornering. The SF-25’s kerb handling capabilities demonstrated here could fuel further improvements as the team looks to close the gap to McLaren and Red Bull in upcoming Grand Prix weekends.
Leclerc’s determined fight for victory and the team’s adaptability on a complex street circuit like Monaco highlight areas of potential strength moving forward. Meanwhile, competitors Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen also scored points, maintaining a tight battle in the standings that promises intense competition in the races ahead.
