Charles Leclerc bemoans key Ferrari weakness: “We’re paying the price in the race”

Charles Leclerc has conceded Ferrari’s poor qualifying form is stopping them from “fighting for wins” following the F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Leclerc scored Ferrari’s first podium of the season with a strong drive to third.

The Monegasque extended his first stint on the medium tyres, ultimately coming into the pit lane at the end of Lap 29.

The prolonged first stint gave Leclerc better tyres for the second half of the race, allowing him to overtake George Russell into Turn 1 on Lap 38.

Leclerc fended off Lando Norris to finish third - his best result of the 2025 F1 season so far.

While Leclerc was pleased with his race result, he bemoaned Ferrari’s lack of “grip”, particularly in qualifying, which is usually one of his strengths.

“I am really happy. I don’t think there was anything to squeeze more out of the car that we have at the moment,” Leclerc told Sky Sports.

“I was very pleased with the pace that we showed once we had free air in the first stint. I think this was very promising. Now we just need to put everything together in qualifying.

“It’s always been one of my strengths but for now I cannot do more than P4. There’s just not enough grip and we’re paying the price in the race. If we’re starting first then today it’s a very different story.

“I think we actually have a very good race car in order to be fighting for wins but at the moment we’re just losing our weekends on the Saturday.”

Ferrari lacking downforce compared to rivals

Ferrari narrowly missed out on the F1 constructors’ title last year, finishing just 14 points behind McLaren.

The signing of Lewis Hamilton brought additional hype going into the season, which Ferrari haven’t lived up to.

Leclerc feels Ferrari lacks downforce relative to McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes.

“It’s not like we’re setting up the car better for the race than quali or taking any compromises,” Leclerc explained. “We’re just trying to make the car the fastest possible. Once we’re in qualifying, where you’re pushing to the limit and there’s the tyre preparation as well.

“Then things aren’t clicking for us at the moment and then we need to try and find something. I would say overall our strength is tyre management. What we are looking is just downforce compared to the Red Bulls, to the McLarens, also to the Mercedes.

“I think today we’re a step better because the tyre management is really good but we’re still lacking the downforce that we were lacking yesterday.”