Disappointed Charles Leclerc reveals behind-the-scenes problem that lost him the race | Hungarian GP. Charles Leclerc finished fourth at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix after suffering a chassis problem.

The Hungarian Grand Prix did not conclude as expected for Charles Leclerc, but the problem was not what the Monegasque driver had complained about over the team radio.

At the post-race interview area, Charles Leclerc appeared visibly bitter following the disappointing result he achieved at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Monegasque driver finished in fourth place after starting the race from pole position. At the end of the race, he revealed that a damage issue in his Ferrari prevented him from maximizing the car’s performance.

Speaking to the microphones of Sky Italia, Charles Leclerc immediately clarified the problem he experienced during the race, which prevented him from fighting for the victory during the crucial third stint, despite seeming to have the pace in the first part of the Grand Prix to keep up with the two McLaren cars. These statements somewhat contradict what Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur had said just minutes earlier, generating some questions.

“In the car, I didn’t have all the information; now I have them. We had a chassis problem from lap 40 onwards. From that moment on, I was just a passenger; there was nothing to do. There was a lot of frustration in the car—I thought it was coming from another decision that had been made.” Charles Leclerc was referring to the team radio messages in which he expressed frustration toward the race management from the pit wall.

“The disappointment and frustration remain because we have a real chance to win this year, and today was very probably that chance. Even though we had a bit more degradation than the McLaren cars, the pace was there in the first stint, in the second stint, and up until around lap 40. I’m really disappointed, but these are racing days. Now that I understand a bit more about what happened behind the scenes, these are things you simply cannot predict.”

Before the start of the summer break, Charles Leclerc summed up this first part of the 2025 season, which has not gone according to expectations. “What do I save from this 2025 season? For now, nothing—I’m truly disappointed. Truly disappointed because when an opportunity is there, we have to seize it, and today we didn’t. That’s what remains with me from this first part of the season. Of course, there have been some improvements—I’m very happy with the progress we’ve made and how much effort we put into bringing these upgrades. But on days like this, it’s hard to see the positive. I’m very disappointed, and I think that’s normal.”