Charles Leclerc and Ferrari F1 boss suffer unfortunate communication breakdown

Ferrari

Leclerc and Ferrari F1 boss suffer unfortunate communication breakdown

Charles Leclerc claimed the team's first grand prix podium of the season in Saudi Arabia

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Saturday 26 April 2025 11:57 Updated: 20:30

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A Ferrari communication mishap has been revealed at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, following celebrations for Charles Leclerc.

The Monegasque driver managed to secure Ferrari's first main race podium of the season, conducting a brilliant race to stay ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris after some superb tyre management.

It follows a period of consistent results for Leclerc, who has managed to drag himself into fifth in the drivers' championship, despite Ferrari clearly suffering a pace deficit to the likes of McLaren and Mercedes.

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Leclerc has been outperforming seven-time world champion team-mate Lewis Hamilton throughout their short time spent together as team-mates, now 16 points ahead of the Brit after the opening five race weekends.

Ferrari's celebrations after the Saudi Arabian GP were clear for all to see, with the ability for Leclerc to mix it with the likes of George Russell and Norris likely to be a huge shot in the arm for the team currently struggling in fourth in the constructors' standings.

Now, a video circling on social media shows Leclerc not quite understanding his team principal's message of congratulations in the aftermath of the podium finish.

Speaking on Leclerc's team radio, Vasseur said: "Super Charles, super. Super job."

"I didn't understand a thing Fred," Leclerc replied, with the noise of the SF-25's engine clearly providing too much interference over the radio.

Ferrari finding form?

While Leclerc finished third, Hamilton was a lowly seventh in Jeddah, having suffered a poor qualifying once again.

Leclerc has now outqualified Hamilton in four of the five main grand prix qualifying sessions across the season, with only the fact that Hamilton beat Leclerc in Chinese GP sprint qualifying and the race providing some hope for Hamilton fans.

Nevertheless, Ferrari appear to be beginning to find some form, Leclerc's race pace in Saudi Arabia being very strong, and Hamilton also showing a great recovery the race before at the Bahrain GP.

Having finished just 11 points behind McLaren in the constructors' championship fight last season, the arrival of Hamilton was supposed to propel the team onto their first world championship title of any kind since 2008, but they already sit 110 points behind McLaren after five races.

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes McLaren Lando Norris George Russell