
Progress is visible, but not yet sufficient. Ferrari exits Suzuka qualifying with Charles Leclerc in fourth and Lewis Hamilton in eighth, although the two Ferrari drivers have different views on the issues with the SF-25.
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion, interviewed after the session, mentioned ride height as one of the main factors behind the lack of performance in qualifying. This topic had already sparked discussions in China and had led to the disqualification of car number 44.
Charles Leclerc reveals Ferrari’s issues
However, his Maranello teammate’s point of view was different. After securing fourth place on Saturday in Suzuka, Charles Leclerc gave an overview of what’s been happening at Ferrari. “We have some issues we need to deal with, but I wouldn’t say they’re related to ride height. Obviously, I can’t go into too much detail,” said Charles Leclerc after qualifying. “I think already from the free practice sessions we managed to find a setup that fits my driving style better, and that gave me a lot of confidence in qualifying. So that aspect is positive, though it will take time to fix everything.” – the Ferrari driver pointed out.
“I think the lap was really good. I gave it my all, and I couldn’t have done much more. In Q3 we struggled a bit compared to the rest of the session, but overall I’m happy. There’s still a big gap to McLaren and Red Bull, but our goal remains to be back in the fight for victory,” the Monegasque driver concluded at the end of the qualifying session for the Japanese Grand Prix.