Charles Leclerc has reportedly informed Ferrari that he will be taking his "own way" with the SF-25 car setup, no longer following the direction of Lewis Hamilton's side of the garage.
According to respected Italian publication Corriere dello Sport, Leclerc delivered this bombshell message to Ferrari's team leadership.
The report suggests the Italian-based side has been "hanging on" the "every word" of seven-time World Champion Hamilton since his blockbuster arrival for the F1 2025 season.
This apparent change in approach comes amid Ferrari's challenging start to the new campaign.
F1 news: Charles Leclerc has reportedly informed Ferrari that he will be taking his "own way" with the SF-25 car setup, no longer following the direction of Lewis Hamilton's side of the garage
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The Italian publication claims that following the Japanese Grand Prix qualifying, where Leclerc secured P4 while Hamilton finished P8, the Monegasque driver made his intentions clear.
On Saturday night, Leclerc reportedly announced to team principal Fred Vasseur and senior Ferrari engineers: 'I'm going my own way'.
The report states he will enter the Bahrain Grand Prix with a 'very clear' and 'different' direction for the SF-25 to trial during practice sessions.
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F1 news: Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have struggled for consistency this season
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This new approach is specifically tailored with Leclerc's 'driving style' in mind, it's claimed.
Ferrari currently sit P4 in the early Constructors' Championship standings, with the team's F1 2025 campaign not getting off to an ideal start.
Hamilton managed to secure a Sprint win in China, providing a bright spot for the Italian team.
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However, Leclerc's fourth-place finish in Japan represents Ferrari's best Grand Prix result of the season thus far.
Ferrari are said to be developing a new floor to improve the SF-25's balance and driveability.
There appears to be internal disagreement, however, with the team "not yet on the same page" regarding when this upgrade should make its debut.
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After the Japanese Grand Prix, Leclerc expressed frustration with his race performance despite finishing fourth.
"Yeah, it was a bit of an annoying race," he summarised.
"I was completely on my own; the guys in front were too quick.
F1 news: Charles Leclerc is currently preparing for the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend
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"When you put everything together like we've done this weekend, I think the balance was in the right place.
"There's just not enough performance in the car."
Looking ahead to Bahrain, Leclerc was blunt about expectations: "I think this is the pace, honestly, what we've shown this weekend is there's not much more in the car."
