Leclerc’s Shanghai Masterclass: Fast, Fearless… and Unfortunately, Too Light

The 2025 Chinese Grand PrixTM unfolded as a dramatic spectacle, showcasing both remarkable resilience and unforeseen setbacks for Scuderia Ferrari. Charles Leclerc’s performance stood out as he masterfully navigated the Shanghai International Circuit despite significant challenges, only to face disqualification post-race, compounding Ferrari’s woes.

The race commenced with an unfortunate incident between Ferrari teammates on the opening lap. Leclerc’s SF-25 sustained damage to its front wing after a collision with Lewis Hamilton, resulting in the loss of the left-side endplate. Despite this aerodynamic handicap, Leclerc exhibited exceptional skill and determination, maintaining competitive lap times and managing to overtake rivals. Ferrari’s strategic decision to keep Leclerc on track without replacing the damaged wing underscored their confidence in his ability to adapt to the compromised vehicle dynamics. Leclerc’s pace in the damaged Ferrari was indeed so fast that eventually Hamilton, even though his car was undamaged, had to let him past.

The initial euphoria of securing fifth and sixth places was short-lived for Ferrari. Post-race inspections revealed that Leclerc’s car was under the minimum weight requirement, leading to his disqualification. Similarly, Hamilton’s car was found with a skid block thickness below the mandated 9mm, resulting in his disqualification as well. These infractions led to a forfeiture of 18 crucial championship points, a significant setback for the team.

Ferrari have admitted they were at fault for the mistakes that led to the disqualification of both their drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. Charles was on a one-stop strategy and this meant his tyre wear was very high, causing the car to be underweight. With regard to Lewis’s skid wear, Ferrari misjudged the erosion during the race by a small margin. Hamilton was disqualified from the 2023 United States Grand Prix for a similar issue when he was driving for Mercedes.

The disqualifications have had a profound impact on Ferrari’s position in the Constructors’ Championship. Initially poised to gain valuable points, the team now finds itself trailing rivals such as McLaren, who capitalized on the opportunity with a one-two finish. It was Oscar Piastri who led Lando Norris to a dominant McLaren one-two ahead of George Russell’s Mercedes. This incident highlights the critical importance of strict adherence to technical regulations and the fine margins that can influence championship trajectories.

Reflecting on the race and the broader competitive landscape, Leclerc expressed optimism about Ferrari’s race pace relative to McLaren. However, he acknowledged a deficit in qualifying performance, particularly in short-run speed, which hampers their starting positions on the grid and, consequently, race outcomes. Leclerc emphasized the necessity for Ferrari to enhance their qualifying setups to contend more effectively at the front of the grid.

In light of the challenges faced in Shanghai, Ferrari is poised to conduct a thorough analysis to rectify the issues that led to the disqualifications and to bolster their qualifying performance. The team’s resilience and capacity to adapt will be crucial as they aim to rebound in the forthcoming races, striving to convert their underlying race pace into consistent podium finishes and to reassert their competitiveness in the championship battle.