Q1: Hamilton eliminated again, Leclerc advances
Lewis Hamilton immediately hit the track, choosing Medium tyres to regain some confidence after his FP3 crash in the third sector, which heavily damaged his SF-25. Despite using a less competitive compound than many rivals, his initial lap showed some promise. Soon after, race engineer Riccardo Adami called him back for a set of new Soft tyres.
Charles Leclerc also started on Mediums. After a warm-up lap, he launched into his first timed attempt. His driving was clean, but the SF-25 continued to struggle for rotation. His lap was slightly quicker than Lewis Hamilton’s. Returning to the garage, Charles Leclerc swapped for a set of Soft tyres, preparing for a final run.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton tried to improve but ultimately fell short, finishing 16th and once again eliminated in Q1. Charles Leclerc, however, passed the first cut without issues.
Q2: Leclerc battles but progresses
For the third consecutive time, Ferrari had only one car running in Q2. Charles Leclerc, despite a careful approach, struggled with tyre management. Working to properly activate the tyres, he began his first attempt with the SF-25. A small error at Turn 5 delayed his acceleration slightly, but the rest of the lap was solid, placing him tenth after the first run.
Back in the pits, the mechanics fitted a fresh set of Soft tyres. Charles Leclerc returned to the track from the pit lane, focusing on extracting the most from the car. A minor mistake at Turn 1 slightly compromised the lap, while a rear slide at Turn 9 tested his control. Despite this, his performance was enough to advance to Q3.
Q3: Leclerc overachieves, SF-25 reaches P5
Entering Q3, the Monegasque driver was pleasantly surprised to progress without major issues, especially considering his lap was far from flawless. He communicated with the team over the radio between runs, regaining focus for the decisive final laps. Managing the demanding SF-25 required his full skill set to aim as high as possible.
For his first timed attempt, Charles Leclerc used a fresh set of Soft tyres. He lost the apex at Turn 1 and the final corner, remaining close to the two McLarens on older tyres. Race engineer Bryan Bozzi suggested potential adjustments to front wing load, but Charles felt the current setup provided the best balance between the axles.
With just over three minutes left, tyre warm-up was approached cautiously. Flat-out through the final corner, Charles Leclerc made a minor steering correction after Turn 1 but nailed the apex at Turn 5. The SF-25 remained stable in the third sector, showing no major instability.
Charles Leclerc set his best possible lap and secured fifth on the grid. Over the radio, he told Bryan Bozzi, “Not bad.” Considering the car’s limitations, he was satisfied, ending just over half a second behind Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and three-tenths off the two McLarens. Starting fifth gives Charles Leclerc a solid platform to aim for a strong race result.
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