Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc expressed disappointment after qualifying 11th for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, describing the team’s performance as subpar. Both Leclerc and team-mate Lewis Hamilton failed to crack the top 10, marking Ferrari’s worst-ever qualifying display at Imola. Despite Gilles Villeneuve’s pole in 1981, this weekend proved challenging for the team, facing setbacks in car performance and tyre management.
Brake issues plagued Ferrari during Friday’s practice sessions, although partially resolved by Saturday. However, the SF-25 struggled on the track, particularly in slower corners, evident from the drivers’ lap times. Hamilton, despite positive progress, was disappointed with the lack of grip and inability to match rivals’ tyre performance.
The team’s focus on tire-friendly cars seemed to hinder their ability to extract maximum performance in qualifying, a crucial aspect where they fell short compared to the competition. Ferrari’s struggles to optimize tyre usage and performance raise concerns about their competitiveness moving forward on the Imola circuit.
