Leclerc's Sober Verdict: Ferrari Lacks Car for Mexico GP Victory After US Podium

Charles Leclerc delivered a sobering reality check for the Scuderia Ferrari team when asked about the possibility of clinching victory at the upcoming Mexican Grand Prix. Despite a strong podium finish at the US Grand Prix, the Monegasque driver believes the team's car isn't currently capable of winning races.

Why it matters:

Ferrari's ongoing struggle for a race victory this season highlights the challenges they face in consistently competing at the front of the grid. Leclerc's candid assessment underscores the team's realistic outlook, even after a positive result, signaling that fundamental performance gaps still exist.

The details:

• Speaking to GPblog at the Circuit of the Americas, Leclerc expressed his delight with his US Grand Prix performance.
• However, he quickly tempered expectations for the Mexican Grand Prix, stating, “I don't think we quite have the car to do so.”
• Leclerc emphasized the need for realism, adding, “I still want to believe we can win a race before the end of the season. But again, I think we need to be realistic in our situation, and I don't think we quite have the car to do so.”
• He considered the US Grand Prix weekend to be a "perfect weekend" for the team, suggesting that achieving anything better before the season's end would be a surprise.
• The 2025 campaign has been turbulent for Ferrari, with no race victories after 19 rounds. The COTA podium was Leclerc's first top-three finish since the Belgian Grand Prix.

Between the lines:

Leclerc's comments, made amid rumors surrounding the Ferrari outfit, suggest an underlying frustration with the team's current performance ceiling. His public statement about lacking a winning car, even after a strong personal result, points to a clear understanding within the team that significant improvements are still needed. This 'sobering' honesty might also be an attempt to manage expectations externally, protecting the team from undue pressure when results don't meet high hopes.

What's next:

• Ferrari will continue to approach each race individually, as Leclerc stated: “But we’ll take it race by race and see what can be done.”
• The team will aim to maintain focus on their ambitions as the 2025 campaign enters its final stretch, despite the difficulties and external pressures.