Charles Leclerc’s Challenging 2025: Ferrari’s Star Driver Seeks Breakthrough Victory

A Season of Mixed Fortunes

Charles Leclerc’s 2025 Formula 1 season has begun ‘worse than expected,’ following Ferrari’s near-miss in 2024 when they finished just 14 points behind champions McLaren.

The Italian team came agonisingly close to ending their title drought last season, but the momentum hasn’t carried through to 2025. Across 14 race weekends so far, Ferrari remains without a Grand Prix victory, while their rivals McLaren have secured 11 victories between Australia and Hungary.

Recent Performances and Challenges

In a notable achievement, Leclerc secured Ferrari’s first pole position of the 2025 season at the Hungarian Grand Prix, in what became the closest Q3 in Formula 1 history, with just 0.543 seconds separating the top 10. This marked Leclerc’s 27th career pole position, moving him past Mika Häkkinen for the 11th highest number of all-time pole positions.

Despite his qualifying prowess, Leclerc has been facing consistent challenges during races. He’s been vocal about his frustrations, noting that he’s experiencing either ‘massive oversteer or massive understeer,’ ultimately lacking the grip necessary to compete with the frontrunners.

Looking Ahead

Looking forward to the remainder of the season, Leclerc has identified three circuits where Ferrari might have their best chances for victory: Baku, Singapore, and Las Vegas. The Monegasque driver particularly highlighted Baku as a track he loves and has historically performed well at, though he acknowledges the challenges of overtaking there. Singapore presents another opportunity, with its emphasis on qualifying performance and limited overtaking opportunities.

Ferrari has introduced what they’re calling a ‘completely new’ F1 car to give Leclerc and his teammate Lewis Hamilton a title shot. The team expects to maintain its current performance concept while achieving more fruitful development rates through additional aerodynamic opportunities.