Leclerc's Stark Verdict on Ferrari's Constructors' Championship Hopes After Vegas Qualifying

Charles Leclerc faces a challenging recovery drive in Las Vegas after a disappointing qualifying session, further dimming Ferrari's constructors' championship aspirations. Leclerc, who could only manage P9, alongside teammate Lewis Hamilton's last-place Q1 exit, casts a difficult verdict on the team's chances, stating, "What I want to do is to be fighting for wins so surely it's not a car we'll miss." Ferrari currently sits P4 in the constructors' standings, trailing Mercedes and Red Bull.

Why it matters:

Ferrari's struggles in qualifying, particularly the poor performance of both drivers, highlight the team's ongoing difficulties in consistently competing at the front. With only two races left after Las Vegas, their ability to close the gap to Mercedes for P2 in the constructors' championship looks increasingly grim, impacting morale and future development focus.

The Details:

• In a wet-affected qualifying session at the Las Vegas Street Circuit, Charles Leclerc qualified P9.
• Teammate Lewis Hamilton finished last, being knocked out in Q1—the first Ferrari driver to experience this since 2009.
• Despite Leclerc securing seven podiums this season, Ferrari remains winless in 2025 and is currently P4 in the constructors' championship.
• Leclerc's assessment of Ferrari's constructors' ambitions: "We're fighting for third or maybe second, but honestly second is going to be difficult for the constructors."
• Constructor Standings (entering Las Vegas):
  • P2: Mercedes - 398 points
  • P3: Red Bull Racing - 366 points
  • P4: Ferrari - 362 points
• Mercedes, holding P2, saw George Russell qualify P4, while Kimi Antonelli was P17.
• Red Bull's Max Verstappen qualified on the front row, with Yuki Tsunoda eliminated in P19.

Damage Limitation:

Leclerc anticipates a tough race to gain positions, noting the car's high downforce was expected to help in such conditions. "We'll try to make something special happen anyway. The thing is that we have quite a high downforce, which was supposed to help us in those conditions. It's not like we're starting that much, I mean that further up. So yeah, it's going to be tough to overtake."

What's next:

Ferrari will need a significant performance turnaround in the remaining races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to salvage their constructors' championship aspirations. The team faces an uphill battle to recover from a challenging weekend start in Las Vegas, with both drivers needing exceptional drives to secure meaningful points and keep their slim P2 hopes alive.