Charles Leclerc takes blame for Melbourne result: “I could have finished third without my…read more
Ferrari left Melbourne feeling disappointed after a challenging weekend, with their performance failing to meet expectations. The SF-25 car, despite some changes made during the weekend, struggled throughout the race, especially in the wet conditions. Charles Leclerc and teammate Lewis Hamilton finished in eighth and tenth, respectively, which was far below what Ferrari had hoped for. The result was largely due to a strategic blunder in the final stages of the race when both drivers stayed out on slick tires despite rain approaching.
The heavy rain, which was forecasted, made the use of intermediate tires the safer option, as all teams had warned their drivers of incoming rain at levels 2 or 3, signaling the need for tire changes. However, Ferrari opted for a riskier strategy in an attempt to improve the car’s performance. Unfortunately, this gamble didn’t pay off, and the team was left disappointed with the outcome.
Leclerc spoke to Sky Sport after the race, expressing his frustration with the start to the season. He acknowledged that the team faced challenges, particularly when the conditions became tricky. While he admitted that the race was tough, he didn’t focus on the team’s mistakes but rather his own. Leclerc took full responsibility for the spin at turn 11, which occurred while he was on slick tires as the rain intensified. The mistake cost him several positions, and he believes that without the spin, he could have finished in the top three.
“Today didn’t go well, but I think before talking about team mistakes, I need to talk about my mistake, which was the most significant,” Leclerc said. “I lost the car coming out of turn 11 and dropped 4-5 positions. I think in the end, I could have finished third or fourth. We would have discussed the race differently. I don’t have much more to add. We need to work and do better. I’m disappointed, and certainly, for the first race, I expected much better.”
Looking ahead, Leclerc’s outlook for the next race in China isn’t overly optimistic. The Shanghai circuit, known for its technical complexity, is expected to pose another difficult challenge for Ferrari, who struggled there in 2024. Leclerc hopes that the team can turn things around, but he acknowledges that they need to make quick improvements if they are to bounce back.
“We will be in the car in four days, and I hope we can make up for it,” he said. “It will be important to react quickly. Unfortunately, we’re going to China, and it’s certainly not a friendliest track for us. Last year we struggled a lot, but it’s a real track, and we need to do better. We will work from here to try to improve, looking ahead.”
Leclerc concluded by emphasizing the importance of responding to these challenges and learning from the difficult race in Melbourne as Ferrari looks to improve their performance in the coming races.
