Charles Leclerc at the foot of the Bahrain Grand Prix podium

Charles Leclerc, starting from second position on the grid, quickly lost places due to braking issues. An erratic brake distribution made driving difficult and braking unpredictable.

These issues allowed George Russell and Lando Norris to overtake him, relegating him to fourth position. After a longer first stint with medium tires, the Ferraris briefly took the lead when the drivers ahead of them made their stops. However, braking difficulties persisted and the Monegasque was overtaken by Lando Norris five laps from the finish, sealing his position just off the podium.

Despite what he considered a disappointing performance, the Ferrari driver remained optimistic about Ferrari’s prospects for the season.

« Yes, I tried everything until the end. Afterwards, it’s even more disappointing when you give absolutely everything and end up P4. But well, that’s how it is. That’s where we are for now. I think we couldn’t have done much better today. It’s disappointing because we don’t yet have the performance we hoped for. Yesterday, I think we did a lap that was a bit beyond the car. In any case, that’s where we are, because I managed to put in a lap where I got everything right. But when you look at the theory from everyone, with the best sectors, we weren’t in that position. So there you go, that’s where we are for now. I’m happy on one hand that we maximized the points. Disappointed with the race because we lost the podium a few laps before the finish, but that’s how it is », he confided.

He noted that the Red Bulls seemed more vulnerable than in 2024, suggesting that opportunities could arise in the upcoming races.