Leclerc Acknowledges Ferrari Falling Behind McLaren and Red Bull in Mexico Battle
Charles Leclerc walked away from Friday’s practice sessions at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez with mixed feelings. Sure, he posted the second-fastest time, just 0.153 seconds behind Max Verstappen. But the Ferrari driver knows better than to celebrate too early. The reality? Ferrari might be quick over a single lap, but when it comes to race pace, they’re trailing McLaren and Red Bull.
“Friday was a positive one,” Leclerc admitted after the session. But then came the reality check. “We are still on the back foot compared to Red Bull, especially on low fuel, and McLaren, especially on high fuel.”It’s the kind of honest assessment you’d expect from someone who’s spent years battling at the sharp end of the grid. Leclerc isn’t sugarcoating it. Ferrari showed decent pace, but McLaren? They looked untouchable on the long runs.
Ferrari’s Struggle With Race Pace
Here’s where things get interesting. While Leclerc felt comfortable with the car during qualifying simulations, the race runs told a different story. McLaren dominated the high-fuel runs, leaving Ferrari scrambling to find answers.”On the high fuel, we were maybe a little bit better compared to Red Bull, but McLaren was in a league of their own, by a lot,” Leclerc explained. “I don’t know exactly what was going on there.
I hope they were on low fuel, but I don’t know. They seemed to be very strong.”The frustration in his voice was palpable. Ferrari has made strides this season, but watching McLaren pull away on race pace must sting. Leclerc knows the team has work to do if they want to fight for the podium come Sunday.
“For now, it doesn’t seem realistic for us to be fighting with them in the race, but we are going to try and make changes in order to get closer to them,” he added. That’s the racer in him talking. Never give up. Never stop pushing. But the gap to McLaren looks significant, and Leclerc knows it.
Verstappen’s Concerns and Red Bull’s Edge
Meanwhile, Verstappen topped the timesheets but expressed concerns about Red Bull’s race pace. It’s a strange reversal. Verstappen dominated the qualifying simulations, but over longer runs, Ferrari might actually have the edge over Red Bull. Leclerc hinted at this possibility. “On the high fuel, we were maybe a little bit better compared to Red Bull,” he said.
If that holds, Ferrari could find itself in a battle with Red Bull for second place, while McLaren cruises ahead. But that’s a big “if.” Mexico City’s high altitude throws all the usual setups out the window. Teams are running maximum downforce, but the thin air means grip is hard to find. The car slides around, tires struggle to work, and finding the right balance becomes a nightmare.
Hamilton Struggles With Balance Issues
Lewis Hamilton, making his Ferrari debut weekend as part of the team’s ongoing preparations for 2025, finished fifth in FP2 after sitting out FP1 for reserve driver Antonio Fuoco. But his assessment was blunt.”I’m surprised how relatively close we are, given how not great it felt,” Hamilton said.
“Every time you come here, because of the altitude, we’re all running really high downforce, but it feels lower than Monza, so you’re sliding around trying to find grip, but it’s not there.”Hamilton’s frustration mirrored Leclerc’s. The car wasn’t where it needed to be. The balance felt off, and the tires weren’t delivering the performance Ferrari needs to compete with McLaren and Red Bull.
“I definitely don’t want to race what we had today,” Hamilton admitted. “The long run balance wasn’t disastrous, but we just need to get more from the tires. I know there’s more pace in the car.”That’s the challenge for Ferrari now. Find that extra pace. Unlock the potential buried in the setup. Make the tires work. Easier said than done at this track.
What’s Next for Leclerc and Ferrari?
Saturday’s qualifying will reveal where Ferrari truly stands. If Leclerc can maintain his pace from Friday, a top-three start is within reach. But the race? That’s where things get tricky.McLaren looks like the team to beat. Their long-run pace on Friday was genuinely impressive. Red Bull has the single-lap speed, but their race pace remains a question mark. Ferrari sits somewhere in between, trying to bridge the gap.
Leclerc knows the team has overnight to find solutions. “We’ve just got to build from that tomorrow, and hopefully, we can gain a bit more performance,” he said. The Monegasque driver hasn’t given up. He never does. But the reality is apparent: Ferrari faces a tough fight in Mexico. McLaren leads the charge, Red Bull lurks close behind, and Ferrari is scrambling to keep up.
