P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Ferrari’s form has flattered to deceive at times in 2025, but is only five points behind Mercedes for second place in the constructors’.
Charles Leclerc denies that Ferrari were “over-confident” at the start of the 2025 F1 season, attributing the high expectations to Lewis Hamilton’s arrival from Mercedes.
Despite the anticipation generated by Hamilton’s move to Maranello and Ferrari’s close finish to McLaren in the 2024 constructors’ championship, the team currently lags 177 points behind McLaren in the 2025 standings.
A double disqualification at the Chinese Grand Prix hindered Ferrari’s progress, revealing struggles in extracting maximum performance from the SF-25, particularly for Hamilton.
Leclerc emphasizes that Ferrari’s initial expectations were fueled by the excitement surrounding Hamilton’s switch to the team, rather than unfounded over-confidence.
While disappointed by the team’s performance in the first part of the season, Leclerc remains optimistic about Ferrari’s ability to improve and is fully focused on addressing their challenges in the current season.
