Charles Leclerc candidly described Ferrari`s current performance, stating, “At the moment it just feels like we are passengers to the car.”
This downbeat assessment followed the Singapore Grand Prix, where Leclerc finished a distant sixth, 46 seconds behind George Russell`s winning Mercedes.
The challenging conditions in Singapore, marked by heat and humidity under the Marina Bay floodlights, saw both Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton battle brake issues. Hamilton`s problems were particularly severe in the final laps, leading him to an eighth-place finish, behind Fernando Alonso`s Aston Martin.
These struggles in Singapore contrasted sharply with the performances of their constructors` championship rivals, Mercedes and Red Bull, who secured first and second place respectively. This marked a strong return to form for both teams, just two weeks after they reversed positions in Azerbaijan, as the 2025 campaign neared its conclusion.
As Formula 1 returns to North America for the USA-Mexico double-header, Ferrari revisits circuits where they clinched their last Grand Prix victories a year ago. With an unwelcome anniversary of their last win approaching, and six race weekends remaining in an already disappointing season, questions arise about the Scuderia`s current standing and prospects.
Leclerc`s Candid Warning for the Season`s End
Nearing the close of his seventh season with Ferrari, still without a world title, Leclerc has been outspoken recently about the team`s trajectory.
“Unfortunately, we are now the fourth team and solidly the fourth team,” Leclerc remarked after the frustrations in Singapore.
He added, “Quite far behind the top three. Mercedes managed to do the step Red Bull did in Monza. We didn’t manage to do that so it’s going to be a long end to the season.”
Points Scored in Last Four Races
| Team | Points |
|---|---|
| 1) Red Bull | 96 |
| 2) McLaren | 91 |
| 3) Mercedes | 89 |
| 4) Ferrari | 38 |
| 5) Williams | 32 |
Leclerc`s reference to a “step” by Mercedes and Red Bull highlights the significant car upgrades their rivals introduced in recent races.
Despite earlier expectations of minimal performance updates after the August summer break – apart from the usual low-downforce setups for Monza (also beneficial for the Las Vegas GP) – Red Bull and Mercedes successfully found crucial performance gains, a feat Ferrari was unable to replicate.
Red Bull, having boosted their RB21 with a floor upgrade at Monza that McLaren believed was crucial to Max Verstappen`s Italian Grand Prix win, further refined their car. They introduced new low-downforce rear-wing modifications in Baku, where Verstappen again triumphed, followed by a new front wing in Singapore for enhanced downforce.
Mercedes also brought revised front wings to the last two events.
These developments have intensified the competition at the front of the field, even for the previously dominant McLaren. While McLaren comfortably secured the Constructors` Championship in Singapore and remains strong contenders for the drivers` title, the landscape is shifting.
