Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc finished behind teammate Lewis Hamilton in a Grand Prix for the first time this season during the Emilia Romagna GP at the 4.909-kilometre Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari. The two Ferrari drivers reacted very differently to the race’s critical stoppages, which significantly shaped the outcome of their afternoons.
The 27-year-old driver was visibly frustrated over team radio when the virtual safety car (VSC) was triggered on lap 29 following Oliver Bearman’s retirement due to a power unit issue with the Haas car. The Monegasque had pitted early and gained an advantage through an undercut on several rivals. But the VSC allowed others to make their tyre changes approximately 10 seconds quicker, wiping out his strategic gain.
Ferrari’s need to be aggressive with their race strategy was driven by a dismal qualifying session that left both cars starting on the sixth row of the grid—an outcome that stunned the passionate Tifosi.
Later in the race, when Kimi Antonelli’s retirement brought out a full safety car, Charles Leclerc was told he had no fresh tyres left. This left him stuck on an older set of hard tyres and vulnerable to attacks from those behind.
By contrast, Hamilton had started on the hard compound and extended his first stint, which gave him the opportunity to pit under the VSC and again during the safety car. With a second set of hard tyres still available, the seven-time world champion mounted a strong late charge to finish fourth. Leclerc, who had been running higher earlier, ultimately fell to sixth.
Charles Leclerc believed Hamilton had a shot at winning the Emilia Romagna GP
Charles Leclerc’s fight for position included an intense battle with Alex Albon, which saw the Williams driver forced into the gravel at Tamburello. That allowed Hamilton, who had already overtaken George Russell, to sneak by both.
When Lewis Hamilton soon approached the SF-25 single-seater of the Monegasque driver, the latter did not put up a fight. Instead, he allowed his teammate through cleanly, clearly recognising the potential of Hamilton’s fresher tyres. Ferrari engineer Bryan Bozzi radioed on lap 47 during the safety car phase to inform Charles Leclerc that the leaders had stayed out. Leclerc’s reply was telling: he said he believed Ferrari could win the race with the Briton.
That message underlined Leclerc’s willingness to sacrifice track position for the good of the team. He was evidently convinced that Hamilton had the pace to challenge the leaders, even if a win ultimately proved out of reach. While Oscar Piastri remained out on track, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris pitted and rejoined ahead, closing off any realistic victory chances for Ferrari. Still, the exchange revealed a deep mutual respect between the Ferrari teammates.
Concern grows inside Ferrari after Leclerc’s Imola comments
Team boss Fred Vasseur continues to view the harmonious dynamic between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton as a major strength in an otherwise underwhelming season. Both drivers have consistently demonstrated a team-first mentality in the face of mounting pressure and lacklustre performances.
Some within the paddock had speculated that Lewis Hamilton’s arrival might unsettle Charles Leclerc, who has been with Ferrari since 2019 and long enjoyed the team’s focus. However, the reality has been quite the opposite.
Earlier in the season, even after Lewis Hamilton urged Ferrari to swap positions at the Miami circuit in the USA, the Monegasque showed no visible frustration. He was also aware that Hamilton voluntarily offered to let him through during the Chinese Grand Prix, further reinforcing the mutual support between the pair.
Leading into the Imola weekend, reports suggested Hamilton was unbothered by trailing Leclerc in the standings, as the team’s lack of competitiveness made any intra-team rivalry irrelevant. Charles Leclerc, likewise, has taken little pride in being the lead Ferrari driver given the current circumstances. After the Emilia Romagna GP, he openly called for Ferrari to identify the “basis of the problem” that has them languishing in fourth in the constructors’ standings. His honest remarks have reportedly raised concern within Maranello, where engineers and strategists still lack clear solutions to their persistent issues.
