Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc expressed his concerns about the loss of competitiveness on the Ferrari SF-25 Formula One car after qualifying in P7 at the Australian Grand Prix. Leclerc had been confident after finishing in P1 during Free Practice 2 on Friday but struggled during qualifying due to changes in the car’s setup. Both Ferraris finished in seventh and eighth positions on the starting grid, behind McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri who secured the top positions. Leclerc noted that the car’s performance became inconsistent as he pushed it more during the qualifying session.
Leclerc mentioned that as the team pushed the car more and more during qualifying, they encountered increased inconsistency in its performance. He acknowledged that they had lost pace throughout the session, with Q3 being particularly challenging. The Monegasque driver identified overheating tires as a significant issue, especially in the last sector where he struggled more than in previous sessions. Ferrari is expected to investigate the setup changes that may have contributed to the performance dip and find solutions to address the tire heat buildup issue to improve competitiveness.
When asked if the Ferrari SF-25 has a narrower performance window compared to its predecessor, the SF-24, Leclerc refrained from jumping to conclusions and stated that they need to wait and see how the car performs over the race weekend. Despite the challenges faced in qualifying, Leclerc remains optimistic that they can close the gap to McLaren on race day. He expressed his hopes of being able to fight more closely with their competitors and believes that the larger gaps seen in qualifying do not reflect the true potential of the teams.
Leclerc emphasized the difficulty of putting together a strong lap when the gaps between competitors are tight, making it essential for the driver and team to find the right balance and performance window. He highlighted the wider gap to McLaren than anticipated but remains hopeful that they can recover during the race. The Monegasque driver stressed the importance of maximizing their performance and addressing any issues to ensure they can compete more closely with their rivals. Leclerc aims to make the necessary adjustments to the car’s setup and strategy to optimize their performance for the upcoming race.
Overall, Leclerc’s comments after qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix reflect the challenges faced by Ferrari in maintaining competitiveness and performance consistency on the SF-25 Formula One car. The team will be focusing on analyzing the setup changes and addressing the tire heat buildup issue to improve their chances of closing the gap to their rivals. With optimism and determination, Leclerc believes that Ferrari can fight more closely with McLaren and other competitors during the race. The upcoming race will provide an opportunity for the team to showcase their improvements and potential for stronger performances in the future.
