Charles Leclerc, who leads the 2025 Formula 1 championship standings for Ferrari, was recently identified by Italian tennis champion Jannik Sinner as his favorite player to watch outside of tennis. Sinner, the reigning Wimbledon singles champion and an F1 ambassador since 2024, has expressed admiration for Leclerc, citing the deep family connection that sparked his passion for the sport. Their amicable relationship continues to grow, highlighted by Sinner’s congratulatory message to Leclerc following his first win at the Monaco Grand Prix last year.
Leclerc Faces Technical Setback at Hungarian Grand Prix
At the Hungarian Grand Prix, held at the challenging Hungaroring circuit, Charles Leclerc started strong from pole position, outpacing McLaren’s drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris during the qualifying session. Known for its limited overtaking opportunities, the track presented an ideal setting for Leclerc to secure a race win for Ferrari. He maintained his lead at the start and even extended his gap on Piastri, who leads the championship, during the early laps.
Leclerc successfully defended against a strategic undercut attempt in the first pit stop phase, reinforcing his command behind the wheel of the SF-25 car. Unfortunately, from around lap 40 onward, an unidentified chassis issue slowed his pace considerably, leaving him vulnerable despite the circuit’s difficult overtaking conditions. This mechanical problem caused him to slip down the order, and he ultimately finished the race in fourth place.
Leclerc Expresses Frustration Over Lost Opportunity
Reflecting on the race performance and the missed chance to claim victory, Charles Leclerc shared his disappointment through an official F1 statement:
“Unfortunately we had an issue on the chassis, so I don’t have much to add on that. It’s just extremely frustrating when you are fighting for a win and when we had the pace that we had at the beginning of the race, and we lose absolutely everything later on, it’s very frustrating.” —Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Driver
“Very disappointed. I don’t take any positives from this weekend when we ended the weekend like that. When we have one opportunity in a year to win a race, we need to take it and today we didn’t. Now we will analyse what are the reasons why we had this problem. I don’t think it’s anything that we had in our control, but we’ll check.” —Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Driver
Leclerc has earned 151 points over 14 races so far this season, placing him fifth in the driver rankings, an outcome impacted by the challenges he faced in Hungary.
Rising Interest in Leclerc’s Season and Influence on Sports Fans
While Jannik Sinner continues to excel in tennis with recent wins at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, his recognition of Charles Leclerc as a favorite player to watch brings additional spotlight to Leclerc’s Formula 1 journey. This cross-sport appreciation underscores Leclerc’s influence among athletes beyond racing and highlights the growing connection between their respective fanbases. As Leclerc and Ferrari work to address the mechanical troubles that have hindered their campaign, supporters will eagerly watch to see if the Monegasque can convert more opportunities into race victories moving forward.