Leclerc sounds the alarm: Ferrari must unearth McLaren's F1 trick

18:15, 13 Jun

Updated: 18:38, 13 Jun

byNorberto Mujica

Charles Leclerc hopes Ferrari can turn things around in 2025 and looks to McLaren's findings as the key do just that.

On media day, Leclerc described the current mood at Ferrari: "None of us is satisfied by how it's going at the moment, that's clear," Leclerc said.

"We came into the season thinking that we had chances to challenge McLaren and Red Bull in order to win the championship. That has not been the case so far."

The reason why achieving that objective failed, and is now anything but realistic, the Monegasque knows it all too well. "However, it's fair also to say that I don't think many people understood apart from McLaren. They've done a huge step forward compared to last year, a lot more than anybody else."

"And if we compare ourselves to our other competitors, apart from McLaren, it's not like we are having a shocking season. We are second in the constructors' [championship]."

McLaren's step forward left F1 top teams scratching their heads

Italian media have now started reporting rumours that allegedly indicate dynamics at Ferrari are currently reaching breaking point. "The pressure is normal when you are working for Ferrari. Second is never good enough but we are all aware of it."

"So it's not like the outside pressure is having any influence on the pressure that we put ourselves first. We want to be winning. And as I keep saying, it's not good enough, but I'm not the only one to say that."

McLaren have won 8 of the 10 Grand Prix so far in 2025

Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes on the same boat

For Ferrari, the benchmark is the same as for Red Bull and Mercedes: McLaren. And to catch up to the Woking-based team, the Scuderia needs to find out how McLaren took such a large step forward compared to last year.

"We need to understand what McLaren found. But we also need to be careful about everything that is going around the team, because sometimes that, I think, can change the perception of someone's season."

"I think McLaren is doing an outstanding job. We are absolutely not happy in the situation we are in at the moment. However, I feel like we just need to find ourselves, just like Mercedes, and just like Red Bull, the outstanding thing that McLaren have found," concluded the Monegasque.