Is a third place enough? For Charles Leclerc, no. A Ferrari reaching a solid result in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with a superb performance from the Monegasque is not enough. After five Grand Prix races, a driver in the red suit has climbed onto the lowest step of the podium. Given the current difficulties faced by the Prancing Horse, Charles Leclerc’s sublime performance deserved much greater recognition, but a simple podium cannot make anyone happy.
The race at the 6.174-kilometre Jeddah Corniche Circuit, which was held last Sunday, showed several encouraging key signs for the Maranello team. But was it merely a temporary breath of fresh air, or is it the turning point of a season that has so far been well below expectations? Time, as always in these cases, is the great clarifier and will undoubtedly provide clarity, resolving the doubts that plague the fans. Based on the present, there are many aspects that need to be considered without being influenced by counterproductive biases.
Charles Leclerc’s podium is the result of both the driver’s performance and the excellent work of the men from Maranello on track. But the problems remain because the so-called “Monegasque medicine” has masked the limitations of a project that started poorly and requires invasive changes. It must be said, without fear of mortifying the passion and dedication of those who are not merely passing through Ferrari.
The inadequacy of those seeking glory without the necessary qualities must be emphasized and any reference is not casual, mind you. On Sunday evening, we relived the satisfaction of when, as a teenager, we rejoiced at a podium by Jean Alesi or Gerhard Berger, when such finishes were rare. In short, we fell victim to excitement in a context of evident technical inferiority.
Charles Leclerc has extracted all the potential from the SF-25 single-seater, imposing his ideas in the definition of the car’s balance. Once and for all, the stereotype that the Monaco driver and the seven-time Formula 1 world champion have essentially the same driving needs is debunked. The seven-time F1 champion is living the most difficult moment of his career, a passenger in the red car number 44.
Since it is neither a winning nor a versatile project, the SF-25 delivers maximum performance only under certain operating conditions and through extreme or non-extreme setup choices, which suit the 1997-born driver. With due proportions, Charles Leclerc is to Ferrari what Max Verstappen is to the Red Bull team, as at the moment, Lewis Hamilton has no chance of matching his Maranello teammate’s performance.
Throughout his long career, Lewis Hamilton has accustomed us to being quite volatile in his immediate reactions. But what we saw at the end of the race in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was essentially a very subdued driver. The reason is simple: the historic Maranello team has found a direction to maximize what the 677 project can currently offer.
Unfortunately, this path taken with Charles Leclerc’s valuable input is not a direction that suits the Anglo-Caribbean champion. Hearing Lewis Hamilton’s comments that this kind of difficulty could last the entire 2025 Formula 1 season is nothing more than a clear admission of defeat. This is unacceptable behavior, considering the championship has just started.
But where do the problems and solutions for the SF-25 stand? In the post-race statements, it was not clear, or perhaps it is not allowed to know, what the current level of understanding of the dark issues permeating the Ferrari team is. Logically, the problems with the base specification should be well understood because the aerodynamic update package debuting in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend at the Imola circuit, despite being planned for some time, must take into account the current vulnerabilities of the SF-25 car. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur himself has revealed the team intends to introduce the next upgrade package to its 2025 Formula 1 car at next month’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Regarding the new tests for flexible wings, which are scheduled to be introduced starting with the Spanish Grand Prix, the Maranello’s technicians and engineers hope to close some of the gap with the super McLaren. An old saying goes that those who live on hope end up despairing. It is much better to rely on one’s own strengths than to wait for an improbable balance of performance at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.
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