Leclerc’s growing frustration: “I can’t accept it” as Ferrari face internal tensions after Emilia Romagna GP – Ferrari may have salvaged a respectable points haul from Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, but behind the scenes cracks continue to grow, most notably between Charles Leclerc and the reality of his current position within the team.

While both Leclerc and team-mate Lewis Hamilton bounced back from a disastrous qualifying session on Saturday to finish fourth and sixth respectively, the result did little to mask the growing frustration within Maranello. For Leclerc, what happened at Imola this weekend wasn’t just another tough race – it was the continuation of a pattern that he is no longer prepared to accept in silence.

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A weekend of two halves: Ferrari bounce back on Sunday

Ferrari’s weekend began under heavy clouds – both literally and figuratively. Poor tyre strategy, traffic in Q2 and a lack of pace in the final qualifying session meant the team were left well outside the top five for Sunday’s race. Hamilton, still adjusting to his new surroundings after leaving Mercedes at the end of 2024, started the race from eighth place. Leclerc, meanwhile, had to settle for 11th on the grid.

But race day brought a new sense of possibility. Ferrari implemented a more coherent race strategy and Hamilton stormed through the midfield to finish fourth, just missing out on a podium finish. Leclerc also clawed his way into the top six, navigating traffic and taking calculated risks that put him ahead of several key rivals.

However, what should have been a promising Sunday left the Monegasque disillusioned.

Speaking candidly after the race, Leclerc revealed a series of circumstances that are weighing heavily on him, even as the team begins to find form again.

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Leclerc slams race strategy: “It was frustrating”

Despite the result, Leclerc was deeply disappointed with the way the race unfolded, particularly Ferrari’s strategy around the safety car periods and Hamilton’s last minute pitstop causing a crisis for the Monegasque driver.

“It’s frustrating because overall we had a good race,” he told Motorsport.com.

“Unfortunately, the two safety cars came out at the worst time for us. We couldn’t even take advantage of the second one because we didn’t have enough tyres. We didn’t have the soft tyres,

“On top of that, Lewis decided to stop at the last moment. I didn’t really know how many positions I would lose if I followed him in a double stack pitstop,

“I knew I would lose more time, so I preferred not to take the risk. I didn’t stop.”

In modern Formula 1, pit stop strategy is often the difference between victory and defeat. With both cars so close together on track, the double-stack scenario, where one driver pits immediately behind the other, was always going to be risky.

Hamilton’s late decision to pit left Leclerc with little time to react. In the end, staying out may have cost him less time, but the emotional toll of constantly having to make these mid-race judgements seems to be adding up.

“It’s disappointing because at the beginning I thought everything was going in the right direction, with a good pace, a good performance,” he continued.

“But these decisions are never easy. And it’s always harder when you start the race from so far back.”

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Unacceptable circumstances: A driver at breaking point?

The disappointment wasn’t just about the pit stops. Leclerc’s post-race comments hinted at a wider frustration – a sense that the car, the strategy and the overall direction of the team weren’t living up to expectations. And he’s no longer willing to hide his irritation.

“I just cannot accept the situation we are in,” he declared. “I said it before the race: this was one of those races where you have to race with your heart and push your elbows a bit,

“I know that in situations like this you really push yourself to the limit, sometimes a little bit more. But when you start eleventh, as a driver I just can’t accept the situation you find yourself in.”

For Leclerc, now in his sixth season with the Scuderia, time is running out. Once hailed as the driver who would return Ferrari to championship glory, he now finds himself mired in inconsistency, strategic errors and occasional flashes of brilliance that rarely translate into podiums.

The arrival of Hamilton was supposed to improve the team’s performance, and while the seven-time world champion is indeed delivering improved results after a very shaky start, Leclerc’s position within the team looks increasingly precarious.

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Hamilton’s arrival: a shift in Ferrari’s internal dynamics

There’s no denying that Lewis Hamilton has brought a new energy to Maranello. Since his shock move from Mercedes, the British driver has attempted to steer the car’s development toward his tastes, and demonstrated his trademark consistency in difficult conditions on occasion, China sprint race case-in-point.

His fourth-place finish at Imola was a stark reminder that, at 40, he still remains one of the fiercest competitors in the sport.

But Hamilton’s presence has also changed the dynamic within the team.

Long accustomed to treating Leclerc as the undisputed leader, Ferrari now face the challenge of balancing two high-profile drivers with very different needs and driving styles. This delicate balance was tested at Imola, particularly during the safety car sequence, when Hamilton’s last minute pit call forced Leclerc into a reactive position that may have cost him track position and momentum.

For Leclerc, this may be less about individual races than an ongoing pattern of being strategically sidelined or tactically disadvantaged.

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Bigger questions for Ferrari: can they keep Leclerc on board?

Ferrari team boss Frédéric Vasseur has repeatedly stated his faith in Leclerc, describing him as a key pillar of the team’s long-term strategy. But public statements are one thing – internal dynamics are another. Leclerc’s body language throughout the weekend was telling: visible frustration in the garage, terse radio messages during the race and a post-race interview that sounded less like a debriefing and more like a cry for help.

While his contract runs until the 2026 season, few believe that such agreements are indestructible in modern Formula One. If Ferrari continues to falter – or if the team begins to favour Hamilton at critical strategic moments – Leclerc could become a flight risk.

More pressingly for Ferrari, the Scuderia is expected to challenge for the constructors’ title in 2025. With the SF-25 showing signs of real pace, particularly over long stints, it’s clear that the pieces are starting to fall into place. But without harmony between its drivers, the team risks implosion at exactly the wrong moment.

As the F1 calendar moves forward, Ferrari finds itself in a delicate balancing act. The team is improving – but not fast enough to quell internal doubts. Leclerc remains one of the most talented drivers on the grid, but his patience is clearly wearing thin. Hamilton, meanwhile, is making his presence felt not only on the track but also in the strategy room.

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MORE F1 NEWS – Ocon SLAMS Alpine over Doohan sacking

Esteban Ocon’s relationship with Alpine had already frayed by the end of the 2024 Formula One season. But any lingering resentment between the two parties has been reignited following the team’s handling of Ocon’s replacement, Jack Doohan, in the early stages of the 2025 campaign. Speaking to French broadcaster Canal+, the former Alpine driver was unsparing in his criticism of the team’s abrupt decision to drop Doohan after just five Grand Prix weekends.

The Frenchman questioned not only the fairness of the decision, but also its potential long-term consequences for the young Australian’s career.

Ocon, who now drives for Haas, suggested the move was emblematic of a wider trend in F1, where young drivers are discarded too quickly in a sport with unforgiving schedules and limited opportunities. While acknowledging the talent of Doohan’s replacement, Franco Colapinto, he was unequivocal in his assessment: “It’s not normal,” said Ocon. “You can’t expect a rookie to prove everything in five races…. READ MORE ON THIS STORY