Jolyon Palmer: Ferrari’s judgment questioned after Charles Leclerc’s Miami actions. Jolyon Palmer says Charles Leclerc made Ferrari look “foolish” at the Miami GP.

Jolyon Palmer: Charles Leclerc’s Miami Sprint Crash Exposed Ferrari’s Risky Strategy Gamble

Jolyon Palmer believes Ferrari invited scrutiny over their strategic choices at the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, particularly after Charles Leclerc’s costly mistake in the Sprint. The former F1 driver noted that while Ferrari’s decision-making had some logic behind it, the outcome made the team appear careless under wet conditions.

Charles Leclerc endured what was arguably his most disappointing race weekend in recent memory. The 27-year-old failed to even start the Sprint at the Hard Rock Stadium after crashing on his reconnaissance lap, and later finished only seventh in the Grand Prix, trailing the race winner by over 57 seconds. It marked one of his weakest performances in fully dry conditions in nearly a year—he hadn’t placed outside the top five in a dry race since finishing 11th in Austria during the 2024 season.

Since then, he had dipped below P5 only twice: once with a 14th-place result at Silverstone in 2024, and again with eighth in the 2025 Australian Grand Prix. Miami’s results were a clear regression, highlighting deeper issues at Ferrari beyond just driver form.

Charles Leclerc’s Sprint crash questioned Ferrari’s intermediate tyre strategy
Palmer focused heavily on Charles Leclerc’s crash en route to the grid for the Sprint, an incident that stemmed from Ferrari’s bold call to fit both their drivers with intermediate tyres in the midst of deteriorating weather. While Lewis Hamilton managed to make it safely to his grid slot, Charles Leclerc was not as fortunate, losing control under aquaplaning conditions and smashing into the wall. The collision destroyed the right-front suspension of his SF-25 and ended his Sprint before it even began.

Palmer argued that the incident drew “understandable questions” about Ferrari’s judgement. However, he also sympathized with their reasoning, pointing out that the Sprint format only allows a single out-lap to the grid—unlike the Grand Prix, where multiple reconnaissance runs through the pits are permitted. According to the former Formula 1 driver, the Maranello team’s strategists likely opted for intermediates to gain valuable information under the assumption that the Sprint would not require full wet tyres across its 19-lap duration.

Nonetheless, the sudden increase in rainfall during Charles Leclerc’s out-lap turned that strategy into a glaring miscalculation. Palmer observed that other teams took notice and adjusted accordingly, choosing full wets for safety. In hindsight, Ferrari’s approach looked overly aggressive and ultimately backfired.

Charles Leclerc’s Sprint DNF ends impressive points streak
The damage from Charles Leclerc’s pre-race incident was not just physical. His crash marked the end of a consistent run in the Sprint format—he had scored points in each of the last nine Sprint events, dating back to the 2023 United States Grand Prix. His record included a runner-up finish in the 2024 Miami Sprint and a third-place in the main race that same weekend, highlighting how drastically things had shifted in just one year.

As the Monegasque driver;s SF-25 was towed away, Ferrari mechanics waiting at P6 on the grid could barely hide their dismay. The incident also underscored broader challenges at Ferrari, with the team’s race-day dynamics under scrutiny after visible on-track tension between Charles Leclerc and his teammate. Their public disagreement over team orders further complicated an already difficult weekend in Florida.

Now, with their home race at Imola on the horizon, Ferrari will be desperate to rebound. But unless strategic clarity and tyre management improve, critics like Palmer may continue to question whether the team has what it takes to truly challenge the likes of McLaren and Red Bull this season.