Suzuka disappointing for Ferrari: Charles Leclerc hopes for SF-25 updates but reveals gap to McLaren. Charles Leclerc looks ahead to updates and addresses McLaren's advantage.

At least there were some points. Beyond that, there’s little to save from Ferrari’s weekend in Suzuka, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finishing the Japanese GP in fourth and seventh positions. The two Ferrari drivers were never in contention for a podium, even though, according to their own statements, there are several positive aspects to take away.

The SF-25 continues to have many limitations, and every weekend seems to confirm this. Not exactly what was expected before a season that, based on what was seen in 2024, seemed to be one for a return to success. However, the track revealed a different reality, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton hoping to begin to turn things around with the arrival of the first updates in Bahrain.

Charles Leclerc’s comments after the race
After the third race of the season, Charles Leclerc commented on his performance in Suzuka. “The feeling has improved compared to the other races. I have a clear idea of what to do to feel more comfortable, but I’m not smiling. When you have a race where everything goes perfectly and you finish fourth, you can’t be happy. We’re still missing two or three tenths to McLaren…” said the Monegasque.

“The gap is recoverable. We always have to look forward and take small steps every race. But for now, this is the situation. We need to be happy with the work done and having maximized the result, but we can’t be satisfied with the result.” – “In Bahrain, we will have new parts and we hope to gain more performance. I come to Sakhir with a different view compared to the tests. I hope it will pay off,” Charles Leclerc concluded on a somewhat optimistic note at the end of the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka.