Leclerc admits Ferrari's aggressive setup 'didn't work out' as Mercedes shows strong pace in Melbourne

Charles Leclerc acknowledged that Mercedes appears "clearly very strong," particularly on race pace, after a dominant FP2 display in Melbourne. The Monegasque driver also conceded that an "aggressive" setup change on his Ferrari SF-24 failed to deliver the expected performance, forcing the team to revert to a more conventional approach for the rest of the Australian Grand Prix weekend.

Why it matters:

Mercedes' sudden surge in performance during Friday practice validates the widespread preseason speculation that the W15 could be a championship contender, signaling a potential shift in the competitive order. For Ferrari, Leclerc's frank admission about a flawed setup gamble highlights the fine margins and high-risk development strategies teams employ early in a new regulatory era, where finding the optimal car window is critical.

The details:

• The session told two different stories: Ferrari locked out the top two positions in FP1, but Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli jumped to P2 and P3 in FP2, with only the Mercedes-powered McLaren of Oscar Piastri ahead.
• Leclerc, who finished fifth in FP2, suggested Mercedes is now revealing its true potential. "I think Mercedes is slowly showing a bit more of what they have," he stated, adding they seem "a step ahead" of Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren on long-run pace.
• The Ferrari driver revealed his team's misstep: "We tried something quite aggressive, which didn’t work out. So we’ll be back tomorrow with a more reasonable window."
• While qualifying pace remains an open question, Leclerc emphasized that the race simulations in FP2 provide a clearer performance picture. He noted the impressive lap by local driver Piastri but cautioned that varying run plans between McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Piastri cloud the single-lap analysis.

What's next:

All eyes will be on whether Mercedes can translate its promising practice pace into a genuine qualifying and race threat, potentially breaking the early-season dominance of Red Bull and Ferrari. For the Scuderia, the immediate task is to dial back its experimental setup and optimize the SF-24 within a proven performance window to challenge at the front in Saturday's qualifying session at Albert Park.