Ferrari make late call on Charles Leclerc fitness at Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Ferrari have confirmed that Charles Leclerc will participate in Friday practice at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix despite a bout of illness.

The Monegasque driver was absent from media duties on Thursday, putting his participation in the first two practice sessions on Friday in some doubt.

Yet a Ferrari source confirmed that the 27-year-old was “fine” and will be fit to be in the cockpit over the race weekend in Imola.

Reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi was in line to replace Leclerc had he not been declared fit to drive.

Leclerc and teammate Lewis Hamilton will be eyeing an improvement in performance with the SF-25 car heavily updated for this first European race of the season.

Ferrari have only managed one podium in six races so far this season and have been the fourth-quickest team following a disappointing start. They currenty trail leaders McLaren by 152 points.

Hamilton, who trails championship leader Oscar Piastri by 90 points in the drivers’ standings after only six rounds, admitted on Thursday that he did not realise how “tough” his opening stint at the team would be.

"I anticipated it would be very tough, because I've joined a team before,” Hamilton said, referencing his move from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013, in his session with the written press at Imola on Thursday.

"I came in with a really open mind. I didn't know how tough it was going to be. I knew it was going to be challenging.

“It's as challenging as it could ever be. On all fronts."

However, the 40-year-old urged fans to be patient as he eyes a historic eighth world title in a final swansong to his career.

"For me, I'm not judging our success by a short amount of racing, half a season, one season.

"Let's talk at the end of my career here at Ferrari, at the end of a few years here at Ferrari, then let's talk about what we've done. That's when we can look back and say whether or not we were successful.

"These few months are paving stones towards where we're going, and that's that."