The minimum goal was achieved. Ferrari demonstrated itself as the second strongest team on the grid by the end of the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix, showing a clear step forward compared to recent races. The Scuderia managed to finish ahead of both Red Bull Racing and Mercedes-AMG, conceding victory only to the extraordinary McLaren team. This achievement allowed the Italian outfit to breathe a sigh of relief, especially considering the high expectations leading up to the race tied to the debut of the new rear suspension system.
This race effectively marked the first outing of the SF-25 in its definitive form, putting Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc—helped by the unpredictable weather conditions—in a position where they could push hard and demonstrate progress in the team’s journey back toward competitiveness. However, before drawing any definitive conclusions about the effectiveness of the upgrades, more races will be necessary, as despite a very good result, significant changes in the car’s behavior were not immediately obvious.
Time is needed…
Indeed, Scuderia Ferrari achieved its target of becoming the second fastest team on the track, but it remains premature to say whether this was primarily thanks to the new suspension system and revised floor or whether it was largely down to another masterful performance by Charles Leclerc (complementing his brilliant Q3 qualifying session the previous day) combined with Red Bull Racing’s setup mistakes with Max Verstappen. The Dutch driver’s RB21 carried too much downforce, which prevented Verstappen from getting close enough to challenge the Monegasque driver’s SF-25.
These factors allowed Ferrari to secure the podium finish in Belgium through Charles Leclerc, as well as a solid seventh place for Lewis Hamilton, salvaging a weekend that was otherwise very difficult for the seven-time world champion. Charles Leclerc’s somewhat fortunate podium finish helped the Scuderia consolidate second place in the Constructors’ Championship standings but did not erase the significant performance gaps suffered by Ferrari—both in dry and wet conditions—compared to the dominant McLaren team.
Charles Leclerc speaks
Just after stepping out of his car, Charles Leclerc spoke candidly about the progress Ferrari had made, but also about the intense pressure he faced throughout the race from Max Verstappen’s persistent challenge.
“Max Verstappen was always behind me. At the start, we struggled due to the low downforce we had,” said Leclerc. “But once the track dried out, our pace improved, although Verstappen never gave up. I am happy with the result and the podium. The pressure was very high—every small mistake can be costly. At one point, I asked the team to leave me alone because I didn’t need any information. From the upgrades, we got what we expected; now we need to understand how to exploit them better. I am really pleased with the podium, and I hope we can soon start putting pressure on McLaren.”
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