Charles Leclerc explains "difficult" Ferrari F1 car: It's "in the wall or through Q1"

Leclerc qualified fifth for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix while team-mate Lewis Hamilton was knocked out in Q1

Charles Leclerc revealed the Ferrari SF-25 is that hard to drive he must risk hitting the wall to secure a good result, after qualifying fifth at the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Monegasque was five-tenths off polesitter Max Verstappen, while team-mate Lewis Hamilton only finished 16th for what was his fourth, consecutive Q1 exit (including sprints).

It came after Hamilton suffered an early end to FP3 due to a crash at Yas Marina’s Turn 9, continuing what has been a torrid season for Ferrari, which will finish fourth in the championship regardless of the result on Sunday.

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That is despite starting the 2025 campaign with title hopes having finished runner-up last year, but this season it has failed to claim a grand prix victory with just one round remaining.

So, when asked about Hamilton’s struggles and the difficulty of the Ferrari, Leclerc said: “I'm driving the car as well and I can see how tricky the car is – how you've just got to go full commitment and it's either in the wall or through Q1.

“Then you need to do the same in Q2 and then you need to do the same in Q3 and, yeah, I know what it's like to have a car that is... and also for the understanding of the car, it's much more difficult to understand something from the car when you really have to push to the absolute limit.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Photo by: Mario Renzi - Formula 1 - Getty Images

“In Q2 I thought I would put it into the wall quite a few times and that makes it difficult to also improve the car – probably the McLaren or Red Bull do by pushing a little bit less in Q1 and Q2, you understand more about what's going on with the car. So, yeah, it's a tricky situation we are in.”

Leclerc has enjoyed plenty of highs since joining Ferrari in 2019, from winning the Monaco Grand Prix to two victories at the Scuderia’s home event in Monza.

But 2025 has featured little positive moments for the 28-year-old, forcing him to be buoyed from a simple fifth-placed result when at one moment it looked as though Leclerc may exit Q2.

“It was very tricky but mostly that second lap in Q2 was very, very difficult to manage and to finish the lap. I was actually pretty happy that I finished it,” he added.

“On top of that it helped us to go to Q3. I was satisfied – it hurts to be satisfied with a P5 but at the moment that's the situation we are in, and the only thing I can take is the little happiness whenever we maximise our car package. And I think that's exactly what we've done today, but P5 is disappointing.”