“I Don’t Care”—Charles Leclerc Slams Ferrari Strategy as Hamilton Outshines Teammate at Emilia Romagna GP
<strong>Ferrari’s Strategy Misfire Frustrates Leclerc</strong>
Despite Ferrari securing a solid double points finish at the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was far from satisfied. The Monégasque driver was visibly frustrated over Ferrari’s pit strategy, especially during a critical safety car period, which he believes cost him a better result.
On Lap 46, with Leclerc running P4 and a full safety car deployed after Kimi Antonelli retired his Mercedes, teams faced the perfect opportunity to switch to softer tires for a late-race push. But Leclerc’s discussion with his race engineer, Xavi, turned tense when he was informed that teammate Lewis Hamilton did not intend to pit.
“I don’t care, I don’t care. We’re speaking about ourselves,” Leclerc snapped over team radio.
<strong>Leclerc Misses Pit Window, Hamilton Gains</strong>
Leclerc ultimately hesitated to pit upon seeing Hamilton diving into the pits from P3, not wanting to double-stack and lose time. But by the time Leclerc completed another lap, the pit window was gone, and he was forced to stay out on older hard tires from Lap 32.
This tactical misstep allowed Hamilton—on fresher soft compounds—to charge through the field. He overtook Hadjar, Albon, and eventually Leclerc, climbing from P7 to finish in P4. Leclerc, stuck on worn rubber, could only manage P6.
“Yeah yeah, I think we can win the race with Lewis,” Leclerc sarcastically quipped to his engineer, further revealing his discontent.
<strong>Hamilton Praises Ferrari Amid Chaos</strong>
In contrast, Hamilton was upbeat after the race, praising the team and the fans:
“There’s still work to do… but if we can keep building on days like this, we’ll be in the mix for podiums. Grazie mille tifosi.”
<strong>Championship Standings</strong>
Ferrari now holds fourth in the Constructors’ standings with 114 points, trailing Red Bull, Mercedes, and McLaren. Leclerc sits fifth in the Drivers’ standings with 61 points, closely followed by Hamilton with 53.
While Hamilton’s Ferrari stint is gaining momentum, Leclerc’s tension with team strategy could hint at deeper frustrations within Maranello.