Friday proved challenging for Charles Leclerc at Interlagos. The Monegasque Ferrari driver finished eighth in the Brazil Sprint qualifying, concluding a difficult session far below the expectations of both Maranello and Charles Leclerc himself.
Immediately after the session, Charles Leclerc did not hide his disappointment over the SF-25’s lack of competitiveness. He explained that the car felt slow despite feeling reasonably balanced behind the wheel. “I’m not happy, the car was very slow. We didn’t have bad sensations on the wheel, but simply lacked pace. There’s something we need to work on for tomorrow,” he said, sounding pragmatic yet visibly concerned.
Charles Leclerc then analyzed his final Q3 lap, affected by a minor technical issue that prevented him from improving. “The first lap was good, then I missed an upshift and lost about a tenth and a half. Even so, at best I would have been seventh. We need to understand where we lost performance because the balance wasn’t bad, but the speed wasn’t there.”
Ferrari struggles as pace fails to convince Leclerc
The difficulties seen in Sprint qualifying confirm a worrying trend for Ferrari. At Interlagos, the team seems to struggle with aerodynamics efficiency and traction in slow corners, key points on the Brazilian track. The SF-25 has been unable to match the potential shown at previous weekends, with inconsistent pace and a lack of grip penalizing both Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton during critical moments of qualifying.
Despite data from free practice hinting at a more balanced session, Ferrari again found itself chasing, with Leclerc far from the benchmarks set by the top teams.
Charles Leclerc looks ahead: “We’ll try anyway tomorrow”
Despite an unfavorable starting position for the Sprint Race, Charles Leclerc is determined not to give up. “We’ll try anyway tomorrow, I’ll look for something new, but I’m not sure how it will go,” he stated, indicating a more aggressive approach for Saturday’s shorter race.
The Ferrari driver is aware that the margin to turn things around will be limited, but he plans to rely on a flexible strategy to gain positions. The Interlagos Sprint, traditionally full of surprises and close battles, still offers an opportunity to limit the damage and collect valuable points for the Constructors’ Championship.
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