Charles Leclerc earned Ferrari’s fifth podium finish of the 2025 F1 season by securing third place at the Belgian Grand Prix. He pushed the SF-25 to its limits on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, clinching the final spot on the podium in a venue often dominated by Max Verstappen.
The Monegasque driver likely felt a sense of redemption after a challenging British Grand Prix, which marked his toughest weekend with Ferrari so far. Leclerc placed fourth in the Spa sprint race and followed it up with a strong performance in the main event.
Notably, this fifth podium puts Leclerc alongside George Russell and Verstappen, each with five top-three finishes, trailing only McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who have each achieved 11 podiums this season. Ferrari’s car showed marked improvement recently but began the year as the fourth fastest package on the grid.
Leclerc has consistently outperformed his teammate Lewis Hamilton, who has yet to finish better than fourth place this year. Although the driver standings show just a 30-point difference between them heading into the Hungarian Grand Prix, Hamilton has only finished ahead of Leclerc once—at Silverstone.
Reflecting on the race, Leclerc said, “That’s good. We didn’t expect that, especially after the sprint qualifiers when we saw the gaps among the top three. We had a solid lap yesterday and opted for low downforce and some riskier strategy compared to others. The rain made the first part of the race tricky, and Max was definitely faster, so we had to let him go. Once things settled, I started to close the gap and knew I had to push hard.”
Fan Take: This podium finish is a crucial boost for Ferrari and Leclerc, showcasing their resilience and ability to challenge top teams on challenging circuits. For racing fans, it signals a potential shift in the competitive landscape, promising more thrilling battles and unpredictability in the championship fight.
