Charles Leclerc in Helmut Marko’s crosshairs: “Strong in qualifying, but makes too many mistakes in the race”. Charles Leclerc has been criticized by Red Bull's longtime advisor Helmut Marko.

The Usual Helmut Marko
The 2025 Formula 1 season is kicking off with numerous changes, from driver lineups to other updates. However, one constant remains: the provocative remarks of Red Bull‘s veteran advisor, Helmut Marko. The 81-year-old Graz-born manager has never been one to hold back and often enjoys stirring the pot with his blunt and divisive opinions about rivals.

This time, Ferrari appears to be in the Austrian’s sights. In an interview with Germany’s *Sport Bild*, Helmut Marko first criticized Maranello’s new signing, Lewis Hamilton, claiming he is no longer capable of maintaining his speed over an entire Formula 1 season. He then shared some negative remarks about Ferrari’s other star driver, Charles Leclerc.

Too Many Race Mistakes
The Monegasque – who won three Grands Prix last year and finished third in the championship – is the same age as Max Verstappen but has never had a car competitive enough to consistently fight for the title over an entire season. However, Marko believes the #16 driver for Maranello lacks certain qualities needed to aim for the ultimate prize.

“Charles Leclerc is good in qualifying but makes too many mistakes in races,” the Austrian declared. Charles Leclerc does indeed have a low conversion rate from pole positions to wins – only five of his 26 career poles have translated into victories – but calling him “error-prone” during races seems overly harsh. In the 2024 season alone, despite not always having the best car on the grid, the Monaco native finished in the top five in 21 of the 23 races he completed. No one did better.