Charles Leclerc says his relationship with Ferrari’s SF-25 car at the Japanese Grand Prix is in a “very different place” than where it was in the opening two races of the 2025 F1 season.
The Monegasque who concluded Saturday’s qualifying in Suzuka fourth, outpacing teammate Lewis Hamilton by three tenths, credited a new set-up direction for boosting his confidence.
Leclerc’s strong Q3 lap edged out Mercedes’ George Russell, landing him a second-row start behind poleman Max Verstappen and the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and hinting at a promising race pace after extensive tweaks over the weekend.
Speaking post-qualifying, Leclerc shared his optimism, having been told that starting P4 in the past has often led to a successful outcome.
“I know that I’m not believing in any luck,” he countered. “So, yeah, our position at the moment is probably that [fourth].
“Honestly, I think we’re even a bit behind in the set-ups. I’m sure that we’ll see. But in race pace, I’ve done quite a lot of changes over the weekend.
“I’m in a very different place compared to the beginning of the season, and I feel a lot more at ease with the car.
"So maybe, I hope, it can surprise us in a good way.”
He emphasized finding a balance that suits him: “I’m finding answers on what I need, which is good already. But that’s not unlocking so much performance.
“But I can be at 100 per cent of the car more often, that’s for sure. And I’m confident that this will give me the confidence that I need going forward in the season.”
Leclerc still acknowledged Ferrari’s broader challenge. While his personal breakthrough is a step forward, Leclerc knows Ferrari’s fight against the frontrunners hinges on future upgrades.
“But then, performance and overall grip remains the overall grip,” he said. “At least, I can change, and hopefully, with the upgrades that we’ll have during the season, it will help us close the gap.
“For me, it [the improvement] was mostly about the balance. There, I found something, for sure. On the other thing, again, I just need to wait a little bit further to gain overall loads, not really sure how sensitive the ride heights are or where we are standing with the ride heights.
“It shows that we are not fast enough and we don’t have enough grip to match what the McLaren and Red Bull are doing.”
Read also: Hamilton ‘getting more comfortable’ with Ferrari SF-25
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