At the end of FP2 in Mexico, Charles Leclerc opened up on the team radio with the Ferrari pit wall, describing the two McLaren cars as “on another planet.” The second free practice session at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez had just ended when the Monegasque driver immediately commented on McLaren’s performance. From his point of view, it seemed difficult to compete with the British team, which he believes is operating on a completely different level. Here’s what Charles Leclerc told his team.
Charles Leclerc sees McLaren in another league: the team confirms his feelings
Right after FP2, Charles Leclerc quickly reached out to his engineers over the radio. The Ferrari driver wanted to get a quick understanding of the main takeaways from Friday’s running. Although his qualifying pace looked solid, Charles Leclerc’s first reaction focused on McLaren’s impressive form and pace in Mexico.
“Apart from the last two laps, how did it go?” he asked the team. “I think the McLarens are on another planet, no?”
His race engineer, Bryan Bozzi, was quick to respond to the question: “Yes, for now Norris is very fast, more so than Piastri.”
Despite Charles Leclerc’s pessimism, McLaren did not appear completely out of reach. Max Verstappen actually set the fastest time in FP2, determined to put both McLaren drivers under pressure heading into qualifying.
As for race pace, there’s still work to do for the Scuderia. Ferrari’s long-run times were consistent in the low 1:22 range, but improvements will be needed to match the top teams. In any case, Saturday’s qualifying session will provide clearer indications on the true performance order for the weekend — a crucial one as the season approaches its final stretch and every point becomes increasingly valuable.
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