Fourth Place from Start to Finish for Charles Leclerc in the Belgian Sprint
The Sprint Race at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix ended exactly as it began for Charles Leclerc, with a fourth-place finish. The Monegasque driver, representing Scuderia Ferrari, tried to create some excitement both for himself and for the many Ferrari fans watching. At the start of the race, he succeeded in overtaking Lando Norris by using the slipstream of the McLaren along the Kemmel Straight, moving into third position during the opening lap. However, this positive moment turned out to be short-lived. Within a few laps, the superior pace of the McLaren car allowed the British driver to reclaim his position, pushing Charles Leclerc back into fourth place, where he would eventually finish.
“Nothing to Lose” Approach at the Start
Speaking to Canal+, Charles Leclerc explained the mindset that led to his aggressive approach at the start of the race. Unfortunately for him, that early move was not enough to secure a podium position. Leclerc stated: “The overtake at the start? The strategy was simple—I did not have much to lose, so I had to take some risks. I gave it a try and managed to move into third place, but sadly it did not last long. The McLarens are significantly faster, and the same is true for Red Bull Racing. It is clear that we are still missing something. It is no secret, we have known this for a while. We need to keep working hard, and I hope that the results of our efforts will become visible soon.”
The seven-time race winner acknowledged that while the effort was there, the reality on track continues to reflect a performance gap between Ferrari and its main rivals. His short-lived position ahead of Lando Norris highlighted how quickly the natural pace of other teams could reassert itself, particularly on a high-speed circuit like Spa-Francorchamps.
New Rear Suspension Is a Step Forward, But More Is Needed
Charles Leclerc also shared his thoughts on the updated rear suspension system that Ferrari introduced at Spa for the SF-25. While the development did bring some improvement, the Monegasque driver was quick to point out that it is not yet enough to close the gap to the leading teams, especially McLaren. “The upgrade worked,” Leclerc acknowledged. “But McLaren also introduced updates, so we are not really closing the gap. Still, the evolution worked on our side, which is a positive step. But we will need additional developments if we want to try and match McLaren’s pace.”
Leclerc admitted to feeling a certain level of disappointment with the final result of the Sprint. He had hoped that the car might allow for a bit more competitiveness in race conditions, particularly in the early laps. “The result is a little disappointing,” he continued, “because I thought there might be an opportunity to do something more. But the top three drivers managed their tyres very well in the first three laps, and when they started pushing, the difference in pace was clear—about four tenths of a second per lap. That’s the most we could do under the circumstances.”
Despite the frustrations, the comments from Charles Leclerc underscore Ferrari’s continued push for performance gains. While the team appears to be on the right development path, more substantial steps will be necessary if they want to consistently challenge McLaren and Red Bull for podium finishes and victories.
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