Ferrari's setup restraints rumours due to new phliosophy true? Leclerc answers

15:28, 13 May

Updated: 15:30, 13 May

byNorberto Mujica

Following their inconsistency in China it was suggested that Ferrari's hands were tied in terms of setup due to the intricacies of their current car, the SF-25. Charles Leclerc reveals if this is so.

The Maranello-based squad are currently not performing as well as they - or anyone - had hoped. In the Miami Grand Prix, for instances, they were fighting the damaged Williams of Carlos Sainz, because the other healthy Williams had gone off in the horizon to bag P5.

It has been rumoured that the SF-25 currently has a squatting characteristic, where the rear of the car collapses upon load, extracting more performance from the floor and gaining an aerodynamic advantage. However, it is not all roses and rainbows.

This also brings the floor of the car in more contact with the tarmac, causing abnormal wear to the skid beneath the car which the FIA uses to prevent teams from setting the ride height lower than prescribed.

Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz battle for position at the Miami Grand Prix

Miami highlighted weaknesses of Ferrari's car

Speaking after the qualifying session, Leclerc revealed that his car simply doesn't perform well in low speed corners which the Miami International Autodrome has plenty of.

"It is frustrating. But to be honest, this weekend I feel like, and that's probably even more so frustrating, is that I feel we are maximizing the potential of the car. It's just that the potential of the car is just not there," said Leclerc to media in Miami, including GPblog, after qualifying.

"When I finish a lap, again today in qualifying, I feel very satisfied with my lap, but it's only bringing us whatever it is, P8 or something. So yeah, we've got to look at it."

"I think a track like this also highlights our weaknesses. There's a lot of low-speed content. Both Williams are in front of us, and I consider my lap a good one. So I think it's pretty easy to understand where we are lacking."

Charles Leclerc leads teammate Lewis Hamilton at the Miami Grand Prix in Ferrari's SF-25

'We're just not fast'

Is this to do with the suggestions that Ferrari were forced to raise the car to avoid it's squatting trait to prompt a disqualification like they suffered in China with both cars?

"I think it's coincidence because we didn't change anything," said Leclerc. "I know what you're speaking about and we haven't changed anything of that. So we are just not fast."

"Whatever we do with the car, we can run it in different ways. But we just don't have the downforce that the others have at the moment, especially at low speeds. So there's no doubt."