Charles Leclerc Dismisses 'Illegal Ferrari' Claims
Charles Leclerc has downplayed George Russell's suspicions that his Ferrari SF-25 was "borderline illegal" at the Hungarian Grand Prix, stating that Ferrari's performance issues are "a lot more complex" than Russell's comments suggest. Leclerc, who started on pole, significantly lost pace in the final stint, dropping from a win contention to fourth place.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing performance challenges for Ferrari, particularly with tire management and ride height, and fuels speculation about the team's championship prospects against surging rivals like McLaren.
The context
Leclerc's pace dramatically fell by two seconds per lap after his final pit stop for hard tires at the Hungarian Grand Prix. George Russell observed Leclerc's slow pace and speculated that Ferrari might have been running the car too low, forcing them to increase tire pressures and potentially use a slower engine mode to mitigate plank wear, which could have pushed the car "close to being illegal." This follows previous ride-height issues that led to Lewis Hamilton's disqualification in China.
Leclerc's response
Leclerc refused to comment directly on Russell's "illegal" claim, stating, "The situation is a lot more complex than what he portrayed... We are not going to go into the details of exactly what happened, etc. It's something that we are trying to fix." He emphasized that the issues extend beyond a simple ride-height problem.
The bigger picture
Ferrari, currently second in the Constructors' Championship, faces a tougher season than anticipated. Leclerc admitted his 2023 prediction—that no team would challenge Red Bull before 2026—was wrong, citing McLaren's "incredible job" in surpassing expectations and Red Bull.
What's next
Leclerc acknowledges the challenge, stating, "now it's kind of late. They've got quite a big, big advantage in the championship, and for this year is going to be hard." Ferrari remains focused on winning races and bridging the gap to McLaren, with an eye towards improving for the next season.