F1 Sprint Qualifying at the Qatar GP saw Charles Leclerc reach Q3, while Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in Q1. The Monegasque managed to bring the SF-25 to the end of the session, whereas Lewis, increasingly frustrated with the car, struggled with tire management. This problem had been widely predicted, as Ferrari failed to resolve it during the weekend’s preparation. Additional issues included chronic understeer and overall handling difficulties.
Ferrari: light steering makes the car difficult to manage
Ferrari continues to suffer at Lusail. Long, fast corners and one of the highest levels of energy transmitted to the tires in the F1 calendar expose the structural limits of the SF-25. The result is a complex picture, with Charles Leclerc finishing only ninth, +0.567s behind an extraordinary Oscar Piastri, who delivered a clean, aggressive, and nearly flawless performance across all three sectors.
McLaren, already competitive from FP1, maximized the MCL39’s ability to generate stable aerodynamic load in medium-speed corners, whereas Ferrari struggled with a long list of issues that undermined driver confidence and precision at key points on the track.
Poor steering feedback affects Leclerc
What stood out most was the poor “read” from the steering wheel. Charles Leclerc repeatedly reported muted, muffled feedback that made it difficult to sense the car’s balance accurately. Mid-corner, the steering feels unnaturally light – a phenomenon the team has encountered before at high lateral-load circuits like Silverstone – but it was exacerbated in Qatar.
The result is driving that requires constant micro-corrections, not to optimize the racing line but to compensate for a feeling of chassis instability. Combined with challenging tire grip management, pushing the SF-25 to its limits was almost impossible on Friday at Lusail.
Comparison with Piastri
In Sprint qualifying, Oscar Piastri created a clear difference in two main areas: cornering speed through medium-to-high-speed turns, particularly in the first and third sectors, where the McLaren stays stable and predictable, and mid-corner to exit transitions, where the MCL39 provides more confidence. Charles Leclerc suffered from a lack of initial rotation.
To get the car to rotate, he had to wait longer than usual and reduce minimum speed, creating a clear delay on the throttle. Telemetry shows that in the first sector he already lost 0.25s, and accelerator traces reveal that the McLaren reached 100% throttle earlier, while Charles Leclerc had to slow down by up to 4 km/h to position the car for the corner.
This deficit grows in S3, where his speed through the 12-13-14 turn complex is significantly lower. At Turn 14, Oscar Piastri lifts his foot by just 10%, while Charles Leclerc lifts 25%. In Turn 15, the Monegasque even touched the brakes, lifted 50% of the throttle, and downshifted. It’s clear that the SF-25 cannot maintain consistent grip or withstand high lateral G-forces.
Limited tire performance and ideal lap
Another factor: Charles Leclerc’s best time came on his first flying lap. On his second attempt, he could not exploit the full potential of the tires, needing to lift in sector two, which gave him an ideal lap that would have placed him fifth. Piastri’s superiority is not just circumstantial – McLaren excels in areas where Ferrari struggles most: stability under load, cornering downforce, and rotation responsiveness. The MCL39’s aero package perfectly suits the Qatari track, while the SF-25 exposes all its intrinsic limitations.
The gap of +0.567s is significant but consistent with the track and the car’s behavior in the more demanding sectors. Charles Leclerc’s ninth place reflects mechanical instability, a narrow tire window, and a steering-chassis relationship that does not allow for confident driving. This was Ferrari’s story at Lusail on Friday.
For Leclerc and Hamilton, Saturday’s sprint – and Sunday’s grand prix – look set to be another damage-limitation exercise rather than a chance to fight at the front.
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