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Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc appeared uncomfortable and unconfident about the SF-25's potential during the FP3 session of the 2025 Saudi Arabian GP. On team radio, Leclerc said his car has certain limitations related to pace, as he couldn't post a faster lap time.
The 2025 Saudi Arabian GP kicked off this weekend, but Saturday's FP3 session didn't yield any positive results for Scuderia Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton dropped to P12, whereas his teammate, Leclerc, finished P5. McLaren once again dominated the proceedings as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finished P1 and P2, respectively.
However, Leclerc's concerning team radio set the internet ablaze. As he struggled to grapple with the SF-25's setup, he stated that his car lacks potential.
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"This, I feel, is the limit of the car. I cannot go faster in the corners. I'm sliding on all four tires," he said on team radio (via Extreme Cars on X).
Charles Leclerc sounded frustrated as he pushed hard but couldn't get the desired lap time to challenge McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull. Interestingly, Ferrari changed the combustion engine and turbocharger of both cars after the Friday practice sessions, yet results were indifferent on Saturday.
Now, with the qualifying session being a few hours away, his radio message is clearly a sign of concern for Ferrari.
This year, both Leclerc and Hamilton have rarely been comfortable with the car, SF-25. Despite experiments with setups and upgrades, the car is not generating significant improvement.
In four races, Ferrari has scored 57 points and is ranked P4 in the constructors championship. Both drivers are yet to win a podium in Grands Prix, but Hamilton did win the sprint race in China from pole.
While the competition is close and fierce in Jeddah, Leclerc's concerning radio message does not paint a good picture of Ferrari's competitiveness for the weekend.
Charles Leclerc opens up on Ferrari's progress
Ferrari is lagging behind its rivals in terms of performance and improvement of the car, SF-25. Charles Leclerc, who is yet to win a podium this season, recently gave his honest review of his team's progress trajectory. Talking to Motorsportweek, he said:
“We are making progress in the right direction. I can’t say if we can get on the podium this weekend, but I am confident in our chances. We have taken slightly different directions in the last few races, which I particularly like, and if we continue to find progress in that specific area, I hope we can get our first podium."
With an underwhelming FP3 session, a lot depends on the qualifying session for Ferrari. Charles Leclerc has been better in qualifying sessions compared to Lewis Hamilton this year. Hence, he could have an edge, but the car's performance and setup also matter a lot, as the stakes are higher for Ferrari this weekend.
