Is Ferrari Letting Down Their 27-Year-Old Star Driver?
Charles LeClerc has been a major part of Scuderia Ferrari’s long-term strategy for his entire career to date in Formula 1. Having raced alongside the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton, it’s no exaggeration to call LeClerc one of the most skilled drivers on the 2025 grid. However, the results that Ferrari had hoped for have been well out of reach, with the most recent Grand Prix win for the Italian franchise coming from Austin in 2024, nearly a year ago. In classic Ferrari fashion, the engineers working on the car are furious with LeClerc for his performance- but LeClerc says he’s doing the best he can with what he’s been given.
In his entire career with Ferrari, LeClerc has been fighting for the title in a car that can’t match up. 2025 has been the year of McLaren, as they ran away with the WDC title after a P3/P4 result in Singapore. There’s no question that McLaren has the fastest car this season, but numerous mechanical failures kept Ferrari from ever posing a threat to the title. Even in races where LeClerc has held a high grid position, the delicate balance of the car gets worn down too quickly, and it quickly loses pace. With one DNF and no victories this season, LeClerc’s patience for the team that has backed him from the start is wearing thin.
LeClerc has recently leveled heavy criticism towards the car’s flaws, and Ferrari’s engineers have been openly displeased with what he had to say. Sources close to LeClerc have revealed that he is weighing his options for other teams to join in 2027, as he is finding himself consistently disappointed with Ferrari’s inability to improve the car. Recent races have shown dramatic improvement in Mercedes’ and Red Bull Racing’s cars, respectively, with Mercedes subsequently overtaking Ferrari for second place in the WDC. Unfortunately for Ferrari, LeClerc’s criticisms have a long historical precedent with the team. The engineers in red have long been known for their stubborn refusal to acknowledge criticism for their drivers, a self-sabotaging behavior that has kept them from the WDC title fight for years now.
