Leclerc and Hamilton Struggle in Miami as Ferrari’s Formula 1 Pace Crisis Deepens
Charles Leclerc endured another challenging outing at the Miami Grand Prix, marking yet another chapter in Ferrari’s underwhelming 2025 season. Despite qualifying ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton, the Monegasque driver’s Saturday was marred by an incident that left him unable to even take the start of the Sprint Race.
The trouble began when Ferrari sent Leclerc out on a wet track with intermediate tyres. Struggling for grip, he lost control and aquaplaned into the barriers. The damage ruled him out of the Sprint before it had even started, leaving his mechanics scrambling to prepare the car in time for qualifying later in the day.
While Hamilton managed to salvage a strong result by executing a clever tyre strategy to earn his second Sprint podium of the year, he later admitted that he had narrowly avoided suffering the same fate as his teammate. The Monegasque driver’s crash was a clear warning sign of just how treacherous conditions had become and how Ferrari’s decisions under pressure continue to raise eyebrows.
Although Charles Leclerc’s SF-25 was repaired in time for qualifying, Saturday’s main session only compounded Ferrari’s misery. After lining up sixth and seventh for the Sprint, the duo failed to replicate that performance when it mattered most. Hamilton dropped to 12th on the grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix, while Leclerc managed only eighth—an outcome that underscored how much ground Ferrari has lost to its competitors.
Hamilton later expressed frustration at the team’s strategy during Q2, particularly the decision not to fit a fresh set of soft tyres when grip was already limited. But a late radio message from Leclerc suggested that he, too, was completely confused by the car’s erratic behavior.
Charles Leclerc, known for his strong one-lap pace, had only one flying attempt in Q3 due to an error at the final corner during his first run. After the session ended, the 26-year-old sounded exasperated on team radio, reportedly saying he had no idea what was happening and couldn’t make sense of the car’s handling. The fact that both drivers were left baffled points to fundamental issues within Ferrari’s 2025 package.
While Charles Leclerc’s talent over a single lap is rarely in doubt, the SF-25 appears increasingly uncompetitive when measured against top rivals like Red Bull and McLaren. Being outpaced by both Williams drivers in qualifying highlighted the extent of Ferrari’s decline in recent races, especially at a circuit like Miami that demands high grip and balance.
Commenting after qualifying, the 27-year-old driver described the weekend as “tough,” adding that the early crash had set the tone for a difficult Saturday. He said that while he had hoped qualifying would offer a chance to reset, the reality was that the car lacked both pace and grip—particularly when compared to Ferrari’s main rivals. He acknowledged that this wasn’t the result the team had targeted and stressed that considerable work lies ahead.
Hamilton, meanwhile, finds himself in an unfamiliar position. After leaving Mercedes to pursue an eighth Formula 1 title with Ferrari, he now faces the possibility of battling just to remain in the points. While both he and Charles Leclerc were seen as McLaren’s closest challengers at the end of last season, the Miami weekend has made it clear that the Italian side now risks falling into the midfield pack.
With Williams showing impressive consistency and other teams making steady gains, Ferrari’s decline is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. For Hamilton, who joined the Scuderia in hopes of title contention, and Charles Leclerc, who has dedicated his career to restoring Ferrari’s former glory, this kind of regression is deeply concerning.
Unless Ferrari can identify and address the underlying problems soon, both drivers could find themselves locked in a season of frustration—far removed from the championship battles they were expecting.
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