Leclerc says Ferrari upgrades won’t close Mercedes gap at Miami

summary: Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc told RacingNews365 the upgrade package the team will run at the Miami Grand Prix is unlikely to close the sizable gap to Mercedes. He said the parts may help Ferrari but won’t overturn the early‑season pecking order, and the weekend will provide valuable data for future development.

Why it matters:

Mercedes still leads the Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings, leaving a sizable gap to Ferrari. That the upgrade won’t bridge the gap suggests Ferrari may need a more fundamental redesign of its floor and cooling. The wave of upgrades after just three races shows teams are accelerating development, tightening the window for a decisive performance swing later in the season.

The details:

• Major upgrades are hitting the grid after the five‑week break:
  • Ferrari: new floor, rear brake‑duct and engine‑map tweaks.
  • McLaren: near‑new chassis for Miami and Canada.
  • Mercedes: minor aero tweaks, unchanged floor.
• Leclerc says the Ferrari package may improve straight‑line speed and corner grip but still leaves a >1‑second per lap deficit to Mercedes, and the data will shape the next development cycle.

What's next:

Ferrari will analyse Miami data and aim for a second‑stage upgrade before Spain. Mercedes will focus on reliability and fine‑tuning its current floor to protect the lead. The key question is whether any upgrades can shrink the on‑track gap in the coming races.