Charles Leclerc admits “it will be hard to fight against Aston Martin” after difficult Friday in Zandvoort. Charles Leclerc admitted Ferrari had a difficult Friday at the Dutch GP in Zandvoort.

Leclerc: “Tough Friday, it will be hard to fight with McLaren and Aston Martin”

Charles Leclerc ended Friday’s free practice sessions at Zandvoort in eighth place, after another day that highlighted Ferrari’s ongoing difficulties against their main rivals.

Podium hopes slipping away for Ferrari

The Monegasque driver arrived at the Dutch Grand Prix paddock still thinking about what might have been in Hungary, where he had started from pole position and led for two-thirds of the race, only to fade in the final stint and finish fourth. That weekend had raised Ferrari’s hopes of fighting for victory, but the reality at Zandvoort quickly proved to be very different.

Here in the Netherlands, the podium already looks out of reach for the Ferrari SF-25 after a Friday that once again confirmed the pace of McLaren and highlighted Aston Martin as a surprising contender for second-best team behind the dominant papaya cars.

Charles Leclerc acknowledges Ferrari’s struggles

Charles Leclerc did not hide his frustration with the current situation, openly admitting that Ferrari is once again on the back foot: “It was a difficult Friday, with the second free practice session being slightly better than the first one, although we are still far from where we want to be. We need to do everything possible to turn things around tomorrow. I think it will be tough to fight with McLaren and Aston Martin, who were both very fast today. Our main difficulties come from two specific corners, and we’ll work to find a solution to this problem.” – the Monegasque driver pointed out at the end of FP1.

The words of the Ferrari driver underline the challenge ahead for the Scuderia, which needs to work overnight on car balance and setup if they are to reduce the gap to their main rivals. While McLaren continues to set the standard, Aston Martin’s pace has added another layer of difficulty for Ferrari, making the fight for the podium an uphill battle as the Dutch GP weekend unfolds.

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