Charles Leclerc on McLaren F1 2025 advantage became a key talking point during the current Formula 1 season, as McLaren’s strong performances in hot weather conditions left their competitors, especially Ferrari’s Leclerc, searching for answers. As McLaren asserts command in both world championships, the team’s edge has unsettled rivals following a surprising leap in performance since last year.
McLaren Sets the Pace in the 2025 Championship
McLaren’s grip on the 2025 Formula 1 season has tightened, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris sparring for the drivers’ title and the team leading the constructors’ race by over 200 points ahead of Ferrari. Notably, after just ten rounds, Max Verstappen trails Norris by 46 points, making his chances of catching up increasingly slim. This shift has upended earlier expectations, as last year’s close points tally between Ferrari and McLaren suggested another tight contest for 2025, given the continuation of stable technical regulations over the winter.
Despite the hope for a competitive multi-team fight, McLaren’s recent acceleration in pace across circuits—especially in hot conditions—has left their opposition both impressed and puzzled. Charles Leclerc vocalized the uncertainty facing Ferrari and their inability to pinpoint the source of McLaren’s speed.
“I wish I knew what made McLaren so fast this year,”
— Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Driver
Leclerc’s Reflections on McLaren’s Strength
At the FIA press conference in Silverstone, Leclerc admitted that McLaren’s leap in performance was unexpected. He remarked that while car development usually converges in the final season of a regulation cycle, McLaren’s improvement stood out as extraordinary. Leclerc suggested that the team’s advances resulted from numerous enhancements rather than a single breakthrough.
“It never comes from only one thing. I think it’s just many different things they’re doing better than others which makes a big difference at the end.”
— Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Driver
This trend has been particularly evident in warmer conditions. McLaren’s dominance was clear at both the Miami Grand Prix and the most recent Austrian GP, where Norris and Piastri not only pulled away from competitors, but also managed intense on-track battles while preserving their lead. Leclerc highlighted that McLaren’s proficiency during heatwaves was a marked improvement over last year, illustrating this point with a reference to Oscar Piastri’s standout performance during free practice in Bahrain.
“It is true that one of the characteristics that has significantly improves since last year is hot weather,”
— Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Driver
Leclerc found himself astounded by the team’s ability to extract lap time when temperatures soared, implying Ferrari was still struggling to interpret the details of McLaren’s success in tyre management and car setup under challenging conditions.
“There are these kinds of laps and you look and you’re just a bit lost for words and you don’t understand where the performance comes from. They’ve found something especially when it’s warm, on tyres. That we’re still trying to figure out.”
— Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Driver
Ferrari Chases Progress Through Upgrades
Amid McLaren’s championship-leading form, Ferrari introduced a revised floor at the Red Bull Ring. This upgrade immediately paid off, making Ferrari the second-fastest contender in Austria. Charles Leclerc communicated that the team had no intention to let up, with further upgrades in development as they aim to reduce the performance gap.
While Leclerc expressed confidence that the planned updates would address certain weaknesses, he harbored doubts about whether these changes would be sufficient to fully close the gap to McLaren this season. He emphasized that McLaren’s edge stems from a series of interrelated developments, not a single component.
“It’s a significant advantage that they have at the moment. It’s not down to only one upgrade or one part. It’s a multitude of upgrades to get to their level.”
— Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Driver
Intense Rivalries and the Road Ahead
The 2025 Formula 1 season, with McLaren’s commanding position and Norris leading the title charge, has reshaped the competitive landscape and left rivals like Ferrari searching for answers and opportunities. The season’s outcome now depends heavily on whether teams such as Ferrari can accelerate their improvement and counter McLaren’s technical advances in the remaining races. As the sport enters its next chapters, teams and fans alike are keenly focused on whether innovation and upgrades will be enough to alter the trajectory set by McLaren’s current form.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. How Rich Is Charles Leclerc in 2025? As of 2025, Charles Leclerc’s net worth is estimated to be around $125 million. His fortune comes primarily from his lucrative contract with Ferrari, race winnings, and various sponsorship deals.
A. Charles Leclerc is not a billionaire.
He earns a high salary as a Formula 1 driver and has many sponsorship deals, but his total wealth is far less than a billion dollars.
Most of his earnings come from racing and commercial partnerships, but he has not reached billionaire status.
Q. Does Charles Leclerc have a PhD?
A. Dr. Charles Leclerc earned a doctorate in neuropsychology from Université de Montréal, following a program that combines clinical practice and scientific research.
His doctoral research explored how the brain changes when certain areas receive little or no stimulation. This work resulted in several scientific publications.