Ferrari already at the limit in Hungary: Charles Leclerc says he can’t go any faster. Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari has already reached its current performance limit at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc shared his assessment at the end of the opening day of practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Ferrari showed promising competitiveness but also signs of having reached its current performance ceiling. While Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur expressed satisfaction with the team’s showing on Friday, Leclerc was more measured in his comments, signaling some reservations about the car’s ultimate pace.

Vasseur smiling, Leclerc more cautious

Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur provided a positive evaluation of both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s performances after Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2 at the Hungaroring. The French manager highlighted the progress seen on long-run pace and appeared optimistic about the direction the team is heading in. This upbeat outlook was echoed—at least in part—by both drivers. However, the drivers also took the opportunity to clarify that there are still some significant limitations to overcome.

Throughout both FP1 and FP2, the Ferrari SF-25 appeared strong in terms of race simulation pace. The Scuderia’s two drivers tested different rear wing configurations in order to gather as much data as possible for both qualifying and the race. These setup variations are essential for maximizing performance on a technical circuit like the Hungaroring. Nevertheless, concerns remain about the gap to McLaren, which looked particularly competitive again. Much of the comparison remains unclear due to unknown variables such as fuel loads and engine modes used by rival teams during the sessions.

Leclerc offers a realistic assessment after Friday practice

At the conclusion of Friday’s track action in Budapest, Charles Leclerc gave a candid and realistic overview of his performance and Ferrari’s position. The Monegasque driver, who has been with Scuderia Ferrari since 2019, stressed that the team had executed its planned program without issues during both practice sessions.

“We managed to complete everything we had scheduled for both sessions,” said Charles Leclerc, highlighting the smooth progression of the team’s testing and data collection plan.

However, when asked about the relative performance compared to rivals, the Ferrari driver acknowledged McLaren’s advantage. “McLaren seems to have a clear edge over us at the moment,” Leclerc admitted. “But we’ll stay focused on our work. The goal is to do everything we can to turn the situation around.”

The most telling comment from Leclerc came when he addressed his own performance and the potential to extract more from the SF-25: “I don’t think there’s much more I can do beyond this. This is more or less our current limit. What will be important is trying to replicate this level throughout the rest of the weekend.”

This admission indicates that Ferrari may already be operating at or very near the maximum potential of its current package—at least on a circuit like the Hungaroring, which emphasizes mechanical grip, traction out of slow corners, and overall car balance. In contrast, McLaren continues to look like the benchmark team, particularly in both qualifying simulations and long-run pace.

Ferrari’s focus moving forward will likely be on optimizing strategy and execution, as well as continuing to gather data on the SF-25’s updated components, including the newly introduced rear suspension. With qualifying at a track where grid position is crucial, Ferrari will need to be flawless in setup choices and tire management to stay in the fight.