After a tough race in Melbourne, Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari has unlocked new performance ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.
Charles Leclerc arrived at the Shanghai International Circuit paddock with a confident smile, sporting Ferrari’s special edition race suit for the Chinese Grand Prix.
Speaking to reporters at the Scuderia’s hospitality suite, the Monegasque driver expressed optimism despite Ferrari’s disappointing performance in Australia.
“I’m convinced our car still has a lot of untapped potential. As a team, we are fully committed to unlocking everything the SF-25 has to offer.”
Following a tough weekend in Melbourne, Ferrari dedicated significant time to analyzing their weaknesses and improving their understanding of the car. Leclerc believes this effort will soon pay off.
“We’re probably not quite at McLaren’s level yet, but I think we can fight with the other frontrunners. Our goal is to maximize points at every race, which we didn’t manage to do in Australia. I’m confident things will be different here in Shanghai.”
When asked what Ferrari specifically learned from the Australian Grand Prix, Leclerc remained somewhat reserved.
“We learned a lot—many things went wrong, but it was only the first race. Now, it’s about piecing everything together and applying those lessons this weekend to improve.”
“The car’s potential is real, more than what we’ve shown so far. But we need to prove it on track.”
The Shanghai circuit presents new challenges, but Leclerc emphasized that every detail matters, and recent seasons have shown how quickly the competitive order can shift.
“Each race is different, and the track characteristics play a big role. We saw at the end of last season how things fluctuated between Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari over the last four or five races.”
Despite the setback in Melbourne, Leclerc remains calm and focused on the long-term battle.
“It was disappointing, yes, but we need to stay composed. Catching McLaren will take time, but we’re not as far off as people might think. Overreacting would be a mistake.”
As Ferrari looks ahead to the Chinese Grand Prix, the team is determined to showcase the true potential of the SF-25 and stay in the fight at the top.
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