Ferrari and Charles Leclerc have endured a challenging start to the 2025 F1 campaign, with the Monégasque driver securing just eight points from the opening two races.
Leclerc initially appeared to have an edge over new teammate Lewis Hamilton at the season opener in Melbourne. He gained track position over the Briton at the second restart, but both Ferrari drivers finished eighth and tenth after a risky switch to dry tyres in damp conditions backfired. However, momentum shifted at the Chinese Grand Prix, where Hamilton capitalized on pole position to win the Sprint, while Leclerc slipped from fourth to fifth. In qualifying for the main race, the 27-year-old was once again outperformed by Hamilton, with Ferrari securing only the third row of the grid.
On race day, Ferrari struggled to match McLaren’s pace, ultimately finishing fifth and sixth. Hamilton later allowed Leclerc through after grappling with performance issues. Initially, the Scuderia appeared to have salvaged a solid 18-point haul—marking a significant improvement over their Melbourne results. However, post-race inspections led to a devastating double disqualification: Charles Leclerc’s car was found to be underweight by 1kg, while Hamilton’s rear skid block was deemed 0.5mm below the legal limit.
This unprecedented setback left Ferrari level on points with Williams in the Constructors’ Championship, a staggering 61 points adrift of McLaren. Despite the bitter blow, F1 analyst and journalist Peter Windsor believes Ferrari made one particularly smart decision in Shanghai—one that demonstrated their confidence in Charles Leclerc.
Peter Windsor praises Ferrari’s trust in Charles Leclerc’s judgment
The Monegasque’s race at the 5.451-kilometre Shanghai International Circuit nearly unraveled from the very first corner when he clipped Lewis Hamilton’s rear right tyre, damaging the left side of his front wing. Although the incident seemed costly, Ferrari’s engineers quickly realized Charles Leclerc was still producing competitive lap times.
Rather than opting for a front wing change during his pit stop, the team chose to trust Charles Leclerc’s on-track assessment and left the damaged wing intact. The decision proved beneficial, as the Ferrari driver continued to demonstrate stronger pace than his teammate.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Peter Windsor commended Ferrari’s call, emphasizing that it reflected their growing confidence in Charles Leclerc’s ability to manage his race effectively. While the double disqualification overshadowed Ferrari’s weekend, their strategic trust in Charles Leclerc stood out as a rare positive from an otherwise frustrating Grand Prix.
The former Ferrari UK general manager expressed his admiration for Charles Leclerc, noting how the driver remained focused despite a difficult Friday and an unimpressive Saturday, ultimately delivering a strong race performance. He found it remarkable that, after losing part of his front wing, the Monegasque not only adapted quickly but also maintained—if not improved—his pace. He speculated that the damage may have corrected an imbalance in the car, potentially improving its handling for Leclerc. The F1 expert also praised the Italian side for making the right decision by leaving the wing as it was and trusting Charles Leclerc’s judgment.
Ferrari faces mounting concerns after disappointing Chinese Grand Prix performance
Ferrari entered the 2025 F1 season with high expectations, aiming to reclaim the Constructors’ Championship after narrowly missing out to McLaren by just 14 points last year. However, just two races into the season, the Italian squad already finds itself trailing by 61 points, with mounting challenges overshadowing their campaign.
Each race so far has exposed different weaknesses within the team. In Melbourne, Ferrari’s struggles stemmed from communication issues, particularly with Lewis Hamilton still adjusting to his new environment and race engineer Riccardo Adami. The unpredictable weather added another layer of difficulty, and ultimately, Ferrari failed to execute the right strategy when it mattered most.
Shanghai, however, presented a different kind of problem—raw performance. While Lewis Hamilton secured victory in the Sprint, Ferrari was simply outclassed by McLaren, Mercedes, and even Max Verstappen’s Red Bull in the main event. The race exposed clear deficits in pace, leaving the Scuderia unable to challenge at the front.
Compounding their woes, Ferrari suffered a double disqualification after the Grand Prix, an unprecedented setback that further highlighted underlying issues with their car. Pre-season testing had already suggested that their 2025 challenger was more complex than initially expected, and the opening rounds have only confirmed those concerns. With little time to regroup, Ferrari now heads to Japan with more questions than answers, desperately searching for solutions to stay in the title fight.
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