Charles Leclerc sounds defeated on team radio as Ferrari battles for P8 in Abu Dhabi practice: "No pace!"

Charles Leclerc sounds defeated on team radio as Ferrari battles for P8 in Abu Dhabi practice: “No pace!”. Ferrari suffers in Abu Dhabi FP2 as Charles Leclerc finishes P8, admitting over team radio that the pace is lacking.

Lando Norris does not appear to feel the pressure at the moment. At the end of FP2 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the championship leader confirmed his superiority over his main rivals, posting the fastest time of the day with a 1’23”083 on Soft tires. The British driver left all competitors behind, including Max Verstappen, who trailed by three and a half tenths. A significant gap, similar to the one Max Verstappen faced on race pace. The margin grew throughout the day: in the morning session, the McLaren ran higher off the ground and Verstappen seemed close, but by the afternoon, lowering the car allowed McLaren to increase the advantage, forcing Red Bull to play catch-up over the weekend.

Ferrari lagging behind

Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, was only eighth with the first of Ferrari’s two cars, showing Yas Marina as the seventh force on track. The Scuderia is clearly struggling, eager to put an end to what has been a disappointing—and at times, sportingly dramatic—season. Lewis Hamilton fared even worse, finishing 14th, three tenths behind Charles Leclerc, after taking over Arthur Leclerc’s SF-25, as allowed by FIA regulations during FP1. Lewis Hamilton focused on testing, including a new steering wheel and comparing simulator data with on-track performance in preparation for the 2026 season.

Chronic lack of pace

Overall, the picture is one of frustration for Maranello, eager to close the book on 2025, a season marked by mediocrity, lack of speed, and large gaps to rivals. The reality was evident on team radio during Charles Leclerc’s flying lap in FP2, where he finished eighth, behind cars like Sauber and Haas. When track engineer Bryan Bozzi informed the Monegasque of his position, Charles, showing no surprise, admitted he had expected it due to the Ferrari’s total lack of pace and consequent lack of confidence.

Bozzi: “Currently you are P8.”

Leclerc: “Yes. As expected. No pace.”

A short, resigned response that perfectly summed up Ferrari’s difficult Friday under the Yas Marina floodlights and cast a shadow over the team’s hopes for the final race weekend of the 2025 Formula 1 season.