Leclerc maxes out in Jeddah qualifying, Hamilton still searching

Qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix delivered contrasting moods at Ferrari, as Charles Leclerc extracted a strong fourth-place grid slot from a tricky SF-25, while Lewis Hamilton, still adapting to his new environment, had to settle for seventh.

Both drivers’ post-session remarks revealed a blend of frustration and cautious optimism ahead of Sunday’s race at the high-speed Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

Leclerc’s qualifying performance was solid on paper, yet the Monegasque made it clear that Ferrari’s contender still isn’t where he wants it to be. Despite his best efforts, he admitted the car lacks the grip and balance needed to challenge for pole.

As the Scuderia continues to try and understand its car's limitations and updates, the gap to the front remains a key concern.

Both its drivers have shown flashes of potential, but consistency and outright pace are proving elusive. With a long race ahead, both Leclerc and Hamilton will be looking to gain ground – though their expectations remain measured.

Leclerc Unhappy Despite Maximizing Car's Potential

Leclerc was candid in his post-session debrief, highlighting once again the SF-25’s performance shortfall.

“I’m not happy, I’m really not happy,” he said. “Finishing P4 in qualifying is really good, I put everything out there, but for now the performance of the car is just not there.”

“I either have massive understeer or massive oversteer, but the end result is that I don't have enough grip to reproduce what the guys in front do.”

Despite these issues, Leclerc was confident he was getting the most out of the SF-25.

“At the moment I feel good in the car. I think I found the sweet spot of the car that matches my driving style,” he said.

“I feel like in the last three qualifying sessions I managed to maximize the potential of the car, but the potential is just not yet at the level I want.”

And while Ferrari had brought upgrades to Saudi Arabia, they didn’t offer the hoped-for step forward.

“I’m a bit disappointed because we had a few upgrades that should have helped but the gap [to the frontrunners] seems to be pretty similar to before,” he admitted.

“[The upgrades] do work, but unfortunately I feel like the others have done as much of a step, which means that the gap hasn't really changed.”

Hamilton Grateful for Q3, But Still Searching for Speed

On the other side of the Italian outfit’s garage, Hamilton remained measured after qualifying seventh – his best performance of the weekend, but still behind teammate Leclerc.

"It was challenging, as always, qualifying for me,” Hamilton admitted. “I'd been nowhere all weekend – 13th I think in almost every session – so, honestly, I feel grateful to have got to Q3 and P7.

“Not a spectacular last lap, but have been making improvements all weekend. Needed a better lap at the end but, as I said, I'm just grateful to be there. Still plenty of time to come.”

Looking ahead to Sunday’s race, Hamilton was both realistic and hopeful.

"Praying, more like! Trying to bond with this car on a single lap is something that I am finding very difficult at the moment," he said.

“But we don't give up. When there's a will there's a way, we keep pushing, keep trying, have got some amazing support so just keep working hard."

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In terms of race strategy, Hamilton hinted at a reactive approach.

“Tomorrow, is it about being patient, just waiting for opportunities, yellow flags and safety cars. I'm going to just try and race and see if I can go forwards.

“If I can go forwards, that'd be great. If not, then you'll be hopeful for something to happen to try and capitalise on.”

He closed with a message of determination: “I'm a long way off. But you don't give up, just keep trying.”

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