Charles Leclerc was left frustrated after qualifying at the 2025 British Grand Prix, suggesting that a peculiar problem inside his Ferrari made the session “more difficult” and hindered his push for a front-row spot on the grid.
Despite acknowledging the technical setback, the Monegasque was quick to shoulder the blame for his lacklustre Q3 showing, insisting he must improve in one-lap performance.
Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, his Ferrari teammate, struggled in the crucial moments of qualifying. Mistakes on their final laps saw them line up only fifth and sixth, well behind the pace set by Max Verstappen and the two McLaren drivers.
The result comes as a disappointment after Ferrari’s recent upgrade at the Austrian Grand Prix had raised expectations of a stronger showing at Silverstone. After stepping out of the car, Leclerc spoke candidly about the mysterious challenge that emerged during qualifying.
“We’ve got issues for sure, particularly today from Q2 onwards. We were fighting with something inside the car. It’s not an excuse. I need to be better,” Leclerc told the media at Silverstone.
High-Speed Headaches and Frustration in Qualifying
When pressed for details, Charles Leclerc described the problem as unusual, and one that was especially difficult to manage in the high-speed sections of the historic British circuit.
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“To keep it on track, was OK. The issues are very specific,” Leclerc explained. “It’s not a balance issue. It’s not a grip issue. I don’t want to go into the detail but it’s just something very weird that we’ve got to fight in the car and especially when there are high-speed corners it makes it very difficult. I hope we can resolve it.”
Despite the setback, Leclerc stopped short of pinning his result entirely on the car: “The good thing, if we can say it’s a good thing, we won’t have any of this. For sure, we won’t have problems of that sort,” he added, perhaps hinting at planned fixes or a reprieve for Sunday’s race.
The struggles in qualifying have been a recurring theme for Leclerc this season. Once regarded as one of the most formidable drivers over a single lap, he admitted that recent sessions have left him searching for answers.
“More than getting away from me, I am not doing the job,” Leclerc stated. “I think since the beginning of the season I have been performing very well in the races. Looking back at races, there aren’t many races where I’d go back to change something I’ve done inside the car.”
Leclerc’s blunt self-assessment continued: “Unfortunately, when I look back at qualifyings, which used to be my strength, there are many qualifyings where I’d like to go back and change something. Every time when I go to Q3 it’s not clicking at the moment. We’ve had good qualifyings but we didn’t have great qualifyings.
“Again, this used to be my strength so I am not happy with the level I am showing in qualifying. We’ve got issues for sure, particularly today from Q2 onwards. We were fighting with something inside the car. It’s not an excuse. I need to be better.”
Can Ferrari Fix It for Sunday?
While Ferrari’s performance appeared to have improved after their latest upgrade, the team is still playing catch-up to Red Bull and McLaren at circuits demanding both power and precision. The British Grand Prix qualifying saw Max Verstappen secure pole, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris slotting in behind for McLaren.
With unpredictable weather forecast for race day and the Ferrari drivers showing strong race pace in the past, Leclerc’s ability to recover from sixth on the grid will be closely watched. For now, the question lingers over Ferrari’s latest technical gremlin – and whether their drivers can adapt in time to mount a serious challenge.
