After a strong start to the 2025 season Formula 1 with only one podium appearance in five Grands Prix, Charles Leclerc remains convinced that Ferrari has not said its last word. For the Monegasque, the developments planned for the SF-25 in Barcelona could well change everything.
"We just need a better car".
Third in Jeddah, Charles Leclerc acknowledged that the Scuderia was not yet up to the level of the best. "We're behind McLaren and Red Bull, that's for sure, and I think behind Mercedes too," he confided after the race. A lucid assessment, but not one of resignation.
Despite the gap in the constructors' standings, 78 points for Ferrari to McLaren's 188, Leclerc sees the coming changes as a real opportunity. In Barcelona, the SF-25 will feature a new front spoiler, which the driver describes as a potential turning point of the season. "I hope it will work in our favor a little," he says, his optimism tinged with caution.
A perfect race... for 3rd place
In Djeddah, Ferrari delivers one of its best performances of the year. "Honestly, we did the perfect race," reckons Leclerc. "Every lap was very, very good. There were no mistakes. The strategy was perfect."
The Monegasque driver also praised the efficiency of his mechanics, pointing out that the Scuderia has dominated the pit-stop battle since the start of the season. A field in which Ferrari outperforms the competition, proof that the team is not lacking in performance at every level.
Leclerc, more at ease than ever
If the car still lacks pace against McLaren or Red Bull, Leclerc insists on one crucial point: its driving comfort has never been so high. "I've been going in the direction I've been talking about for the last two or three weekends, and I feel like I've never been as comfortable with the car as I am right now."
This personal feeling, combined with the arrival of new parts, raises hopes of a renewed competitiveness. Leclerc believes that Barcelona could mark the real start of Ferrari's season.
Barcelona or the start of a revival?
Closing the 110-point gap on McLaren now seems unlikely. But the season is still long. The Spanish Grand Prix marks the ninth of twenty-four scheduled rounds. While it's hard to imagine Ferrari winning the championship without a near-perfect series, the role of outsider remains open, especially as Mercedes is struggling to find consistency and Red Bull is not invincible.
Can Ferrari really make a comeback? Leclerc has no doubts. "We're getting the most out of the car. We just need a better car."
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