F1 Chinese GP – low expectations for Ferrari SF-25 in Japan: Charles Leclerc clarifies real gap to McLaren. Charles Leclerc clarifies the gap to McLaren ahead of Japan. .

Beyond the disqualification, Ferrari must address the SF-25’s issues. Charles Leclerc’s assessment after the Chinese GP highlights the gap to McLaren and sets expectations for Japan. From the Shanghai weekend, the Sprint Race brought good points (and a victory), but the real pace of the Maranello car was seen between qualifying and the Grand Prix. There’s a lot of work to do before Suzuka.

Finding positives after such a disastrous weekend is a difficult task. The Sprint Race on Saturday is little consolation—points matter most on Sunday, where having a winning setup is crucial. The SF-25 does have potential, but it operates within a narrow performance window that is not always easy to hit. The challenge now is to “unlock” that potential permanently.

While the double disqualification—avoidable in Charles Leclerc’s case but more concerning with Lewis Hamilton—casts an even darker cloud over Maranello, the gap to McLaren is equally worrying. It’s not insurmountable, as Woking proved last season, but something must change. At the moment, fighting for victory is nearly impossible.

Ferrari SF-25: Charles Leclerc’s outlook for Suzuka
After the race, before learning about the disqualification, Charles Leclerc spoke to F1TV: “The situation is not good for us. Right now, we are too far from McLaren, especially in qualifying. I think Lewis [Hamilton] exceeded the car’s expectations in the Sprint Qualifying. We are where we showed in Saturday’s qualifying.” – the Monegasque driver pointed out.

“We’re three-tenths behind McLaren. Then, in the race, we’re quite similar, but we can’t work miracles if we start two or three positions behind. We need to improve in this area.”

The Japanese Grand Prix, on a track that puts the characteristics of the cars to the test, will be a definitive measure of the competitive order as the European season approaches.