Can Ferrari’s ‘Turning Point’ Save Leclerc’s Season?
Apr.30 – A “turning point” for Ferrari could come too late for Charles Leclerc’s liking.
Internally, the 27-year-old Monegasque is clearly winning the high-profile team battle against the new occupant of the garage next to him – no less than Lewis Hamilton.
So resounding has the seven time world champion’s defeat been so far in 2025 that Hamilton seems lost, confused and disillusioned – with many even tipping early retirement for the 40-year-old.
The Swiss newspaper Blick ran a survey after the recent race in Saudi Arabia, with 12,000 votes cast. A whopping 43 percent advise the Briton to retire, with a further 28 percent believing he will be regretting his move from Mercedes.
But as Hamilton’s struggles have only increased through the early season so far, the developments brought to the track are clearly making Leclerc more comfortable and competitive.
However, Leclerc is already 52 points behind the championship lead.
“I can’t afford to lose any more,” he insisted.
But Ferrari is clearly not writing the season off yet, according to Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport. New parts will be on the car in Miami this weekend, ahead of the first major upgrade package of the season at Imola.
And then for round 9 of the season in Barcelona, things could change as the FIA clamps down harder than ever on wing flexibility.
“I think a turning point of the season will be in Barcelona,” said Leclerc. “The introduction of the new front wing can be to our advantage, I hope.”
However, before that happens, Ferrari needs to get through three more race weekends. “We must try not to waste points in this phase of the season,” said Leclerc, “so that we can attack when we are ready to do so.”
Former F1 driver Timo Glock thinks Ferrari could actually be ahead of Red Bull this weekend in Miami.
“Red Bull will have a headache in Miami,” he told Sky Deutschland, “because it’s a tight track with slow corners like Bahrain. They will have the most problems of all the top teams.
“McLaren will be one step ahead of everyone else again,” Glock predicted.
The German also thinks it will be a particularly pivotal weekend for championship leader Oscar Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris, whose mistakes and mental fragility have been under the microscope since Jeddah.
“A win for Norris would be an important step to level the duel somewhat and deprive Piastri of the opportunity to establish a clear position of superiority,” said Glock. “He must have Piastri under control this weekend.”
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