Charles Leclerc Highlights Ferrari’s New Weak spot at Spanish GP – A Setback Lewis Hamilton Received’t Need to Hear
The 2025 Spanish Grand Prix provided few indicators that the latest FIA technical directive had a major affect on the aggressive order in Method 1. McLaren continued its dominance with one other commanding one-two end, whereas Charles Leclerc introduced Ferrari dwelling in third, securing his third podium of the season.
Regardless of that outcome, Charles Leclerc stays fifth within the Drivers’ Championship. With half the season accomplished and 15 races nonetheless to go, hopes of a late cost towards the highest two positions seem slim. McLaren’s tempo benefit at present appears insurmountable, and with little to counsel that Ferrari or Crimson Bull can shut the hole within the quick time period, the game’s focus could quickly shift to the incoming 2026 laws.
Inside Maranello, contingency plans are already in movement. Ought to an anticipated rear suspension improve fail to yield significant progress, Ferrari could select to divert its focus away from the 2025 marketing campaign solely—an early give up in a title battle that by no means really ignited.
Charles Leclerc, in a bid to optimize his personal efficiency, has more and more drawn inspiration from teammate Lewis Hamilton. Observers have famous that the Monegasque has begun emulating a few of the seven-time world champion’s work habits and method to race preparation in an try to extract each ounce of potential from his package deal.
However Lewis Hamilton is probably not happy to listen to what Charles Leclerc just lately revealed about Ferrari’s newest efficiency points. On the workforce’s Maranello headquarters, the 27-year-old driver admitted he had sown doubt just a few rounds in the past following his struggles to pinpoint the basis reason for his difficulties on the Imola circuit in Italy. Sadly, that uncertainty has now been compounded after yet one more weekend of unexplained efficiency swings in Barcelona.
As soon as once more, Charles Leclerc managed to outperform Hamilton in race situations regardless of beginning additional again on the grid. He later mirrored on the dramatic shift in his automobile’s dealing with over the course of the Grand Prix, explaining that he had clearly recognized sure limitations—limitations that had turn out to be considerably worse within the remaining stint in comparison with the opening section of the race. Whereas he believed he had an evidence for the drop-off, Charles Leclerc said that the difficulty had not been anticipated and described it as a newly rising downside that surfaced particularly throughout the Spanish GP weekend.
That revelation is unlikely to be welcome information for Lewis Hamilton, who has struggled to seek out consistency in his first season with Ferrari and continues to be looking for a breakthrough efficiency.
Including additional drama to the weekend, Charles Leclerc made headlines with a daring overtake on Max Verstappen within the closing laps at Montmeló. With the Crimson Bull driver struggling to get his hard-compound Pirellis into the optimum temperature window after a late Security Automotive interval, the Monegasque seized the chance to grab third place.
Max Verstappen, annoyed after being ordered to return a place to George Russell, later made contact with the Mercedes driver. The incident earned him a 10-second time penalty, dropping him down the order and in the end permitting the Monegasque to carry onto the rostrum.
After the race, Charles Leclerc was requested about his cross on Max Verstappen and remarked that it was “very optimistic” on Max’s half—a delicate however pointed remark that will gas tensions between the 2 in future battles. With Max Verstappen’s latest errors and penalties starting to mount, Charles Leclerc could now see a window of alternative to overhaul the reigning champion within the standings.
Because the championship battle begins to fragment, the inner struggles at Ferrari—and the psychological warfare brewing amongst its rivals—have gotten simply as important as what occurs on monitor.