Charles Leclerc ‘not happy’ after revealing Ferrari ‘problem’ that cost him at Brazilian Grand Prix

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Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was left to rue his misfortune after he only managed to qualify P8 for the F1 Sprint at the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos on Friday.

The 28-year-old posted a personal-best lap time of 1:09.725 during SQ3, as he finished the day 0.482 seconds adrift of Lando Norris’ pole position time. McLaren ace Norris recorded a 1:09.243 as he scored pole, ahead of Mercedes gem Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s 1:09.340 for P2.

Sprint qualifying at the Sao Paulo GP proved to be a disaster for Ferrari, with Lewis Hamilton also only able to qualify P11 with a 1:09.811. Ferrari mistimed Hamilton’s second SQ2 run in Sao Paulo, leaving the Briton unable to improve his initial effort prior to the chequered flag.

It is the second time so far in the 2025 F1 season that Hamilton has failed to advance to SQ3 during a Sprint Qualifying session, having also bowed out in SQ1 with P18 in Belgium. Ferrari saw Leclerc register his worst Sprint Qualifying result this year in the United States with P10.

Charles Leclerc reveals a downshift problem ‘cost me’ in Sprint Qualifying in Brazil

Leclerc was “not happy” with P8 in Sprint Qualifying at the Sao Paulo GP, having finished the day 0.482s off the overall pace set by Norris at Interlagos this Friday. While the Monegasque did not think his best effort felt that bad, the Ferrari SF-25 was inherently not quick enough.

READ MORE: Lando Norris scores pole position for the F1 Sprint at the 2025 Sao Paulo GP

“I’m not happy,” Leclerc stated, via quotes by Motorsport.com. “The car was very, very slow today. It didn’t seem that bad, but we’re slow. So, we have something to work on and try to improve for tomorrow.”

Leclerc was even left to rue a downshift problem in his Ferrari SF-25 during SQ3 costing him at least one place on the Sprint grid to Aston Martin star Lance Stroll. Without the problem, Leclerc could have threatened Red Bull ace Max Verstappen for P6 after his 1:09.580 in SQ3.

He added: “My lap in SQ3 was pretty good. Unfortunately, I had a problem with a downshift that it refused. It cost me about a tenth and a half.

“I wouldn’t have been much better, though. I think I might have finished seventh, but it’s been a difficult weekend so far.”

Charles Leclerc doubts set-up changes will improve Ferrari’s pace for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix

Leclerc finished Sprint Qualifying only 0.145s shy of Verstappen’s fastest effort for P6 on the F1 Sprint grid in Brazil. Without the downshift problem in SQ3, the Monegasque might have been able to pip the Dutchman for P6, as well as jumping Stroll for P7 after his 1:09.671 lap.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

But his downshift problem is only one issue for Ferrari heading into the rest of the weekend at Interlagos. Despite Leclerc and Hamilton both struggling for speed throughout the Sprint Qualifying session on Friday, the 28-year-old does not believe Ferrari ran with a bad set-up.

Leclerc added, looking ahead to Sunday’s race: “Nothing makes me think we’re out of place in terms of set-up. So, I’ll try something, but whether it’s better or worse, I’m not sure.”

Ferrari arrived in Brazil on the back of seeing Leclerc score back-to-back podiums with P3 in the United States Grand Prix and P2 in the Mexico City Grand Prix. The Scuderia turned the SF-25 around to be competitive in the United States GP after Leclerc sealed P5 in the Sprint.