Despite the recent successes at the Australian GP, with victories in both the Sprint Pole and Sprint Race, Charles Leclerc’s optimism for a win at the F1 2025 Chinese GP isn’t high. The Ferrari driver, aged 27, has admitted that the gap to Oscar Piastri’s McLaren might be insurmountable. Leclerc, who will be starting from the sixth position on the grid at Shanghai International Circuit, believes the current potential of their car is a hindrance.
The seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, hasn’t had much better luck, positioning himself fifth on the grid and trailing by three-tenths. Though it’s a step up from his performance at the Australian GP, it’s still not where the champion would like to be.
Despite the better-than-expected weekend, Leclerc has his doubts about the forthcoming race. With the expected soaring temperatures at the F1 2025 Chinese GP, teams may be forced to adopt a two-stop strategy. However, Leclerc is skeptical if even this approach would give Ferrari the edge they need to claim victory, citing their performance as lackluster.
In an interview with Sky Sports F1, Leclerc praised Hamilton’s performance, saying, “Lewis did a great, great job yesterday. But I feel like today I did a good job. I’m sure Lewis did a good job as well, and that’s the potential of the car. Is there a little bit more in the car? Maybe. Three tenths? I don’t think so. We need to look forward to tomorrow.”
A glimmer of hope for Ferrari might come from Hamilton’s ability to maintain the durability of his tyres during the Sprint Race on Saturday. This skill allowed him to control the pace of the race and fend off Max Verstappen and Piastri. Despite experiencing tyre graining, Hamilton managed to clinch victory by a comfortable margin of 6.8 seconds, consistently lapping 1:37s.
Leclerc’s performance in his own Sprint Race also provides a hint of optimism for Ferrari. Despite spending most of the race in the so-called dirty air, causing higher tyre degradation, Leclerc managed to close in on George Russell towards the end of the race, posing a significant challenge to the Mercedes driver.
This could suggest that Ferrari’s strategy might involve replicating their success from the 2024 Italian Grand Prix by opting for a one-stop race, should their rivals choose a two-stop strategy. Alternatively, they could push their limits and aim for faster lap times using a two-stop strategy. The answers to these questions will be unveiled on March 23.
In the high-stakes world of F1 racing, every second count, and as Leclerc has candidly admitted, Ferrari must look forward and strategize for the challenges that lie ahead in the F1 2025 Chinese GP.