Charles Leclerc reveals Ferrari's actual deficit to McLaren in terms of car performance

Charles Leclerc believes that Ferrari could be trailing McLaren by as much as three-tenths of a second in terms of overall pace and performance. Speaking to media, including Sportskeeda, the Monegasque admitted that the Maranello outfit still has significant ground to cover and may currently be closer to Mercedes than the reigning champions.

While Ferrari’s true potential remains somewhat concealed due to the nature of the opening races, their Bahrain Grand Prix performance highlighted some weaknesses. An untimely safety car period and a less effective stint on hard tyres left them unable to challenge race leaders Oscar Piastri and George Russell, instead becoming vulnerable to rivals on fresher compounds.

Across the first four rounds, Ferrari’s race pace has proven tricky to assess. Leclerc noted that while the deficit to McLaren in Bahrain appeared to be around two to three tenths per lap, Red Bull’s inconsistent form made it harder to pinpoint exactly where Ferrari ranks in the current competitive order.

Asked by Sportskeeda where Ferrari stacked up in the pecking order according to their understanding of their pace in Bahrain, Charles Leclerc said:

“I think we are three tenths off [McLaren], two to three tenths off, yeah similar to Mercedes, maybe Mercedes slightly ahead and Red Bull has been a bit more inconsistent this year. But so it's a bit more difficult to have a clear picture of them but yeah I think two to three tenths off McLaren.”

---

Charles Leclerc reckons Ferrari’s floor upgrade should pay dividends in Bahrain

Charles Leclerc believes that Ferrari’s upgraded floor is likely to yield better results at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix compared to its debut in Bahrain. The Sakhir circuit, with its unique characteristics and warmer conditions, was not the ideal venue to fully assess the performance gains of the new component. In contrast, the Jeddah Corniche Circuit—with its high-speed corners and emphasis on downforce—could serve as a more accurate benchmark for Ferrari’s development trajectory.

Despite the limitations of Bahrain, Leclerc felt that initial feedback on the upgraded floor was encouraging. He noted that it appeared to add performance to the car, and that their showing in Sakhir was a positive reflection of the team’s ongoing progress.

Asked if the new upgraded floor would benefit more at a circuit like the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Charles Leclerc said:

“It should be, I think for the layouts of the track, I think we should be doing a bit of a step forward, a bit more of a step forward than we did in Bahrain, which is positive. But we obviously still have to confirm that. But I think the numbers that we were expecting from this upgrade in Bahrain were the one that we saw and considering that is the case, I think we will benefit a little bit more on a track like this.”

Charles Leclerc currently sits fifth in the Drivers’ Championship with 32 points, while Ferrari holds fourth place in the Constructors’ standings with 57 points. The team’s double disqualification in China dealt a significant blow to their championship position, skewing the picture of their true potential. In terms of raw pace and performance, Ferrari could arguably be ahead of where the standings suggest, with their competitiveness often masked by external setbacks rather than outright speed.