Ferrari's Qualifying Issues Must Be Solved to Keep Championship Hopes Alive - Leclerc
Ferrari needs immediate qualifying improvements to maintain championship contention, according to Charles Leclerc. Despite finishing third in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the team's first podium of 2025, Leclerc emphasizes that qualifying performance remains a critical weakness.
Red racecar speeding on track
Currently 50 points behind in the drivers' championship, Leclerc acknowledges that while race pace is competitive, qualifying struggles continue to hinder Ferrari's success. The team's recent qualifying issues stem from inconsistent problems, with the latest race showing a four-tenth deficit in the first three corners despite strong performance elsewhere.
"I think we are close on race pace," Leclerc explained. "Free air dictates who is going to win the race a little bit. When that's the case, qualifying becomes even more crucial."
The Monegasque driver praised Ferrari's race execution, including strategy and pit stops, but emphasized that car performance needs improvement. During the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Leclerc demonstrated strong pace by leading temporarily after extending his medium tire stint, eventually securing third place with a late hard tire strategy.
"We've maximized absolutely everything we could have this weekend," Leclerc stated. "The car balance feels great in races, allowing me to extract maximum performance consistently. However, our qualifying potential simply isn't sufficient to compete at the front."
Despite the challenges, Leclerc remains optimistic but stresses the urgency of finding solutions to their qualifying issues before the championship gap widens further.