Charles Leclerc’s 2025 season has come to an end with many results falling short of expectations, while hope remains that 2026 could allow him to return to his best form.
The 2025 Formula 1 season for Charles Leclerc ends with few highlights and many shadows. At the start of the year, there was talk of a possible championship fight, but the track told a very different story. Charles Leclerc found himself driving an unstable car with numerous weaknesses and a very narrow setup window, largely due to the architectural choices made during the design phase. In fact, when analysing the recently concluded season, the numbers show seven podiums in total, two second-place finishes, and then a long list of disappointments, without a single race victory.
For Charles Leclerc, this represents a hard blow. It is his seventh year at Ferrari, and he continues to chase the dream he has had since childhood: becoming world champion with Ferrari. Despite the many difficulties, including technical problems, ineffective strategies and a car that was not always competitive, Charles still managed to secure a pole position in Budapest. It was a pole achieved with an incredible lap during a weekend in which Ferrari had never previously looked like the fastest car.
Analysis of the 2025 results
Over the course of the season, the Monegasque driver achieved four podium finishes in four European Grands Prix, including Monaco, Spain, Austria and Belgium. He also stepped onto the podium in Saudi Arabia, in Texas and in Mexico. These results represented some of the positive notes of his season, but they were not enough to counter the overall superiority of rival teams.
During the season, Ferrari also introduced an updated rear suspension, designed to widen the setup window and improve overall performance. Unfortunately, the suspension brought to the track delivered little to no benefit. Controversial episodes were also not lacking: the disqualification in China, along with retirements in the Netherlands and Brazil, further penalised a season that was already heavily compromised.
Having completed this analysis of the 2025 season, Leclerc is now fully focused on 2026.
Looking ahead to the 2026 Formula 1 season, Charles Leclerc views the new regulations with great interest. As stated by the driver himself on Thursday during the press conference in Qatar, “This year we sacrificed part of the season to focus on 2026. There are elements that tell me we are working in the right direction.”
With these words, he sends a clear signal, aiming to reverse the trend in the new regulatory cycle. He highlights how simulations and early testing are useful tools to shape the 2026 project, while remaining fully aware that only the track will deliver the final verdict.
That said, the analysis of Charles Leclerc’s 2025 Formula 1 season highlights talent, resilience and clear technical limitations. At the same time, it has also laid the foundations for a potentially exciting 2026. The Monegasque driver enters the new season with confidence and determination, ready to fight on track for Ferrari and for the world title, and ready to write new pages as a leading figure in Formula 1.
2026, the decisive season
There is, however, an important caveat regarding Charles Leclerc’s future at Ferrari. The Monegasque driver stated after the final post-race interviews in Abu Dhabi that 2026 will be the year of “now or never”. He underlined how, for Ferrari, the new regulations represent a huge opportunity but also a decisive test.
Starting the 2026 season strongly will be essential to avoid the risk of yet another disappointing championship and to prevent his future in red from being compromised. If the car were to once again prove inferior to the competition, then according to various rumours, if confirmed, Charles Leclerc would be expected to leave the Maranello-based team.
For the Tifosi, the thought of a Ferrari without Charles Leclerc is almost unthinkable, but the 2026 season clearly marks a line in the sand. After years of being the “Prince” waiting for his crown, the Monegasque has made it evident that his loyalty, while profound, is not infinite. He needs a project that matches his ambition, and the upcoming regulation change is the ultimate moment for Maranello to prove they can deliver. Whether 2026 ends with a championship trophy or a goodbye letter, it will undoubtedly be the most pivotal year of Charles Leclerc’s career.
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