Looking back on the 2025 season, Charles Leclerc highlighted what was the biggest disappointment in an incredibly challenging year for Ferrari.
A Ferrari kept afloat by Leclerc
Beyond the clear technical shortcomings of the SF-25, what became evident this year was that Charles Leclerc kept the team afloat. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, making his debut with Ferrari in the adjacent garage, rarely found the right feeling with the car, missing several opportunities.
The contrast is clear when looking at the final standings. Ferrari finished fourth in the Constructors’ Championship with 398 points, of which 242 were earned by Charles Leclerc and 156 by Lewis Hamilton. In the final race, the Briton was even challenged by Kimi Antonelli. Charles Leclerc ended the season with almost 100 points more than his teammate, confirming himself as the clear reference for Ferrari.
The disappointments of 2025
Over the course of the season, Charles Leclerc faced numerous disappointments, both from his own errors and from unfortunate situations. One notable example was his mistake during the sighting lap before the Miami Sprint: under heavy rain, he hit the wall and could not participate in the race. And how could anyone forget the incidents in the Netherlands and Brazil, where he was hit by other cars through no fault of his own.
But according to Charles Leclerc, the truly enormous disappointment of 2025 was something else. “The biggest disappointment of my 2025 is definitely missing out on pole position in Monaco.” That weekend, he missed the top spot by less than a tenth, which went to Lando Norris. From there, given the difficulty of overtaking on the streets of the Principality, the McLaren driver went on to take the victory. Perhaps, that weekend was the closest Ferrari came to winning in 2025.
The 2025 season tested Charles Leclerc like few others, but his standout contributions kept hope alive. As the team analyzes every detail over winter, that near-miss in Monte Carlo will linger as motivation—proof of how close Ferrari came, and how far they still have to go.
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