Leclerc upbeat in Vegas: Ferrari 'not in a bad place'

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Ferrari’s Las Vegas weekend has begun on an upbeat note, and Charles Leclerc believes the team is “not in a bad place” after a strong opening day – despite a late-session gearbox issue and the lingering pressure created by recent criticism from the team’s chairman.

Leclerc topped FP1 and finished third in FP2, a welcome turnaround from the difficult weekend in Brazil, where Ferrari struggled badly with ride height and heat on a bumpy Interlagos surface. Under the cold neon glow of the Strip Circuit, however, the SF-25 appears to have come alive once again.

Unfortunately, Leclerc’s FP2 session ended prematurely when Ferrari ordered him to pull off at Turn 5 due to a gearbox concern, but the Monegasque was quick to play down any alarm: he described the moment as “a bit of a misunderstanding in everything that happened” and insisted “it will be all fine.”

Leclerc’s focus is firmly on the battle ahead rather than on the mechanical glitch.

“Honestly we are not in a bad place,” he said after stepping out of the car.

“But we need to wait and see. I think the Mercedes is very strong and obviously McLaren and Red Bull are also in the fight so I think it's going to be tight.

“I just hope we can build from now and be in the fight for pole tomorrow, but it's been positive. I think the pace was strong today.”

Leclerc also hinted at overnight tweaks, adding: “It's all about trying to anticipate what the conditions of tomorrow will be like and make sure that we start on the right foot tomorrow.

"But I have pretty clear ideas of what I want to do with the car to try and improve it and we'll see tomorrow if these were the right choices.”

Hamilton Smells Opportunity

Ferrari’s 2025 campaign has lacked consistency, but in Vegas, Lewis Hamilton looked more competitive than his P10 and P11 classifications suggest.

His sessions were compromised by traffic, tyre offsets, and yellow flags, yet the Briton emerged from practice sounding more cheerful than he has for much of the season.

“I felt pretty decent,” he said. “P1 generally felt good, I just didn't get a lap in and then same thing in P2.

“We improved the car in P2 and I was feeling strong in sector one, same as I was in P1, but yellow flags and the red flags just got in the way unfortunately.

“But everyone's in the same boat. I got some good learnings out there and I'm excited for tomorrow.”

Hamilton noted how treacherous the track surface was early on, a reminder of how important it will be to read the evolving conditions correctly going forward. That’s where his and Leclerc’s approaches diverge.

The seven-time world champion reckoned that his team “probably won't make many changes tonight.”

Thursday’s running didn’t reveal much – but it did show Ferrari firmly in the fight in Las Vegas. For a team eager to rebound from Sao Paulo, that alone marks significant progress.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.