Ferrari’s Final Major 2025 F1 Upgrades May Not Solve the Q3 Problem Still Holding Back Charles Leclerc
Scuderia Ferrari is preparing to introduce what is expected to be the final major upgrade package of their 2025 Formula 1 campaign, with key developments scheduled for the upcoming Belgian and Hungarian Grands Prix. However, there are growing concerns within the team that these updates may still fall short in addressing the underlying issues that continue to hinder Charles Leclerc’s performance during qualifying sessions.
In recent weeks, Ferrari engineers have been working intensively to complete a round of upgrades in time for both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to use before Formula 1 pauses for its traditional summer break. The final two races before that break—Spa-Francorchamps on July 27 and the Hungaroring on August 3—will mark the debut of these developments. Once the Hungarian Grand Prix concludes, the championship will enter a four-week shutdown, leaving teams with limited chances to make further in-season improvements.
According to paddock insiders, the upgrades planned for Belgium and Hungary represent the last significant technical steps Ferrari will take during the current campaign. With 2026’s sweeping regulation changes already looming, Ferrari Technical Director Loïc Serra has reportedly shifted his primary focus toward designing the next-generation car that will conform to the upcoming rulebook.
Serra, who arrived from Mercedes and joined the Maranello-based team alongside Lewis Hamilton, did not contribute to the initial design of this season’s SF-25 chassis. However, he has since taken the lead on several upgrade initiatives, including a much-anticipated rear suspension development set to debut at Spa. The team evaluated the upgrade during a 100-kilometre filming day at Mugello this past Thursday, with both drivers giving initial feedback.
Although Leclerc did not report a significant difference during his brief run with the new rear suspension, internal optimism remains cautiously high. Ferrari hopes that the changes will improve rear-end stability and traction—areas where the SF-25 has struggled in certain conditions. In parallel, a power steering upgrade is scheduled for introduction at the Hungarian Grand Prix, addressing previous complaints from both Leclerc and Hamilton about steering feedback and precision.
These new components will join the list of recent upgrades Ferrari has implemented, including revised floor and rear diffuser packages introduced earlier at the Austrian Grand Prix. Yet, despite these multiple updates, the Scuderia continues to struggle with a more elusive problem—an issue that appears to be rooted in energy deployment management during Q3 qualifying sessions.
According to a detailed report by The Race, Ferrari is believed to be suffering from an energy management inefficiency in Q3 that is closely tied to how their power unit responds to rising temperatures during high-intensity short runs. This suspected flaw has negatively impacted Leclerc’s ability to maximize single-lap pace at critical moments in qualifying throughout the 2025 season.
Leclerc has previously acknowledged that while his race pace has generally been strong, qualifying sessions—once considered one of his strongest assets—have not delivered the expected results this year. He admitted in conversations with the media that his performances in Q3 have consistently failed to “click,” and upon reviewing several qualifying sessions, he often found himself wishing he could go back and adjust his approach. This internal frustration aligns with the growing belief that the problem may extend beyond driver execution and into the technical realm.
This theory gained further support at the recent British Grand Prix at Silverstone, where both Ferrari drivers qualified lower than expected despite showing strong pace earlier in the session. Hamilton topped Q2, with Leclerc just behind in second place, but neither driver made a meaningful step forward in Q3. Hamilton was marginally slower than his Q2 time by 0.011 seconds, and Char;es Leclerc only improved by 0.012 seconds—minimal gains considering track evolution and lower fuel loads.
These numbers raised suspicions that Ferrari’s power unit may have encountered a performance drop in Q3 mode, potentially linked to heat buildup or energy deployment strategy. Reports have since suggested that a late-emerging power issue may have surfaced when the team switched both drivers to their final qualifying engine maps. Additionally, speculation has surfaced around the fuel pump system, with some insiders pointing to that component as another potential source of performance inconsistency.
While Ferrari’s suspension and power steering upgrades aim to address specific mechanical weaknesses, they are unlikely to resolve the suspected energy deployment problem that continues to limit Leclerc’s ability to fight for pole positions. Until the team can fully understand and rectify this recurring issue, it remains a serious obstacle to maximizing their qualifying potential—especially in an ultra-competitive midfield where fractions of a second determine starting positions.
Looking ahead, Ferrari’s engineering team faces the challenge of balancing immediate performance upgrades with long-term planning for 2026. And although the upcoming changes at Spa and the Hungaroring may provide incremental gains, the root cause of Leclerc’s Q3 struggles appears to lie deeper within the power unit systems—beyond the reach of a new suspension alone.
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