Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc is currently enjoying an impressive streak of form, having secured his fourth podium finish in just six races at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix. This consistent performance highlights his status as Ferrari’s leading driver amid a challenging season for the Scuderia.
Recent upgrades introduced by the Maranello team have helped narrow the performance gap to McLaren, but the improvements have not yet been sufficient for Ferrari to consistently challenge for race victories. Among the top four teams in the Constructors’ Championship, the Italian side remains the only outfit without a win so far in the 2025 season.
Leclerc’s tally of five podium finishes stands in stark contrast to teammate Lewis Hamilton, who has yet to reach the podium while racing for Ferrari this year. This difference in results has invited scrutiny, with former World Champion Nico Rosberg suggesting that Lewis Hamilton’s comments on his qualifying struggles at the Belgian Grand Prix may have sounded like excuses to some observers.
Despite Leclerc’s strong results, he has been vocal about the work that still lies ahead for Ferrari. Heading into the summer break, he acknowledges that the team remains far from achieving the level of performance they desire and need to challenge the front runners more consistently.
Charles Leclerc is likely to feel encouraged by Lewis Hamilton’s recent praise following the Belgian Grand Prix, where Hamilton publicly acknowledged the progress made by the team. Before the race weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, the Monegasque advocated for a bold and “extreme” approach by Ferrari, hoping the long-awaited rear suspension upgrades would allow the team to move away from constantly experimenting with aggressive setup changes and instead focus on stability and consistency.
During the race weekend, it appeared this calculated risk was starting to yield positive results. Hamilton, in particular, complimented Leclerc on the impressive job he had done in adapting to and extracting performance from the updated package. Speaking to The Race, Hamilton recognized the significant role Leclerc played in testing and running part of the upgrade earlier in the season, which helped accelerate its development and implementation.
Lewis Hamilton reflected on how Charles Leclerc’s greater familiarity with the upgrade gave him an advantage in Spa, where the Briton himself encountered difficulties adapting—highlighted by a spin that took him by surprise. Both drivers are also adjusting to new engineering teams, adding complexity to their efforts. Nonetheless, Hamilton praised the team’s work in quickly making setup adjustments overnight, which helped improve his comfort and performance behind the wheel.
Lewis Hamilton’s relationship with Ferrari continues to be a work in progress. Sitting sixth in the Drivers’ Championship with a noticeable gap both ahead and behind, he openly acknowledges that the 2025 season has not met his expectations. Nonetheless, he remains hopeful that the upcoming 2026 technical regulations will present a fresh opportunity for Ferrari and himself to end the team’s long-standing title drought, which has now stretched toward 18 years.
Taking on this immense responsibility, Lewis Hamilton showed his commitment to the team in an unbroadcast message after the Belgian Grand Prix, where he finished seventh. On the team radio, he apologized for the weekend’s difficulties and pledged to work harder to deliver better results moving forward. He also commended the team’s strategy and pit stop execution, signaling his confidence in their collective ability to improve as the season progresses.
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