Key Highlights:
- Charles Leclerc endured a difficult Friday at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, finishing P7 in Free Practice 2 and noting Ferrari has “plenty to work on” after lacking raw pace.
- Ferrari addressed internal tensions following Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s Mexico GP scrap, with Leclerc confirming the teammates have spoken and settled the matter.
- Leclerc traveled late to Brazil after celebrating the birth of his first child, daughter Bianca, with his wife Alex in Monaco.
Scuderia Ferrari faces an uphill battle to recover competitive form at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix following a challenging Friday practice program at Interlagos. Just days after displaying front-running form at the Mexico City Grand Prixāwhere Lewis Hamilton secured pole position and crossed the line in second ahead of Leclerc in fourthāthe Italian outfit struggled to replicate that outright speed in Brazil, trailing behind rivals Mercedes and McLaren.
Challenging Friday Practice at Interlagos
Charles Leclerc sat out the weekend’s opening Free Practice 1 session to allow rookie driver Dino Beganovic to take the wheel. Returning to the cockpit for Free Practice 2, the Monegasque driver managed only the seventh-fastest time, ending the running seven tenths of a second adrift of pacesetter Kimi Antonelli.
Leclerc was vocal about the handling issues affecting the SF-24 around the Brazilian circuit, suggesting sweeping setup changes will be required overnight to unlock competitive lap times.
FP2 was very tricky actually, if anything one of the worst feelings I’ve had this year in the car,
said Leclerc. There’s plenty to work on and it didn’t feel quite right but I’ve got some ideas. We’ll change the car I think quite significantly and we’ll see how it goes.
He continued: I hope we can do a step forward because even though I missed FP1, I don’t think there was much performance in that. It’s just the raw pace wasn’t great today.
Clearing the Air Inside the Ferrari Camp
The difficult on-track start followed a tense build-up for Ferrari at Interlagos, with the paddock focused on the intra-team battle that erupted between Leclerc and Hamilton in Mexico. While Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur addressed his perspective on Friday, Leclerc confirmed that direct conversations between himself and Hamilton only occurred after they arrived in Brazil, resulting in a resolution.
He said: We’ve spoken, I think everything is settled and I’m looking forward for the rest of the weekend now.
A Milestone Week and Late Arrival in Brazil
The dialogue between the two Ferrari drivers had been delayed earlier in the week due to personal matters for Leclerc. Following the race in Mexico, he rushed back home to Monaco, where his wife gave birth to their first child, resulting in his late arrival to the Sao Paulo paddock.
It’s definitely the most special thing ever,
he reflected on the birth of his daughter. You kind of expect it because I’ve always wanted to be a young dad, and with Alex we obviously felt it was the right time.
Despite the competitive and intra-team hurdles surrounding the Grand Prix, Leclerc underscored the personal joy of the milestone: It’s a very, very special moment and definitely a week I’ll forever remember for all the positive reasons. Of course, there’s been other things going on as well but for me this week was all about Bianca, and it’s been incredible.
Why This Matters
Ferrari’s Friday pace deficit at Interlagos comes at a critical juncture in the season as the Scuderia contends with Mercedes and McLaren for key positions in the championship standings. The sharp drop in raw speed from their Mexico City front-row competitiveness underscores setup sensitivity on the bumpy, undulating Brazilian circuit. Furthermore, ensuring operational harmony between Leclerc and Hamilton is vital for Ferrari’s execution across the remainder of the Sao Paulo weekend as engineers work overnight to implement major car adjustments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Charles Leclerc absent from Free Practice 1 in Brazil?
Leclerc did not drive in FP1 because Ferrari fielded rookie driver Dino Beganovic for the opening practice session at Interlagos.
Who posted the fastest lap time during Free Practice 2?
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli set the top time in FP2, finishing seven tenths of a second ahead of Leclerc, who placed seventh.
Why did Leclerc arrive late to the Sao Paulo Grand Prix?
Leclerc traveled home to Monaco immediately after the Mexico Grand Prix to be with his wife, Alex, for the birth of their first child, a daughter named Bianca.
