The Formula 1 weekend of the Hungarian Grand Prix was marked by the announcement—unexpected only in timing—of the contract renewal of Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur. This decision, which had been widely anticipated for some time within the paddock, officially ended the wave of speculation surrounding the leadership and long-term future of the Scuderia’s top figure. Recent weeks had seen a surge in rumors, many published in the Italian media, suggesting that Ferrari’s upper management was dissatisfied with Frédéric Vasseur’s performance and was actively searching for a possible replacement. These rumors were further fueled by the disappointing results that Scuderia Ferrari has experienced so far during the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Looking ahead to the future
Despite the swirling rumors, the speculation was countered not only by official denials from the team but also by public displays of support from both Ferrari drivers—especially from seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton, who joined the Maranello-based team at the beginning of the 2025 season, has consistently defended Frédéric Vasseur, and he reiterated his full support again just yesterday when asked to comment on the contract renewal. The British driver stated that the announcement gave him increased confidence to approach both his long-term future and his ongoing adaptation to Ferrari with greater serenity. This sense of security is not only important for the remainder of the 2025 season but also as the Scuderia prepares for the significant regulatory changes coming in 2026, a season that will usher in a new era for Formula 1. According to Hamilton, “You’ve heard what I’ve said about Fréd—he’s the right choice. Fred was the one who signed me, and I want to work with him.”
From Budapest, a new beginning for Ferrari
Both Lewis Hamilton and the Ferrari team are now looking toward the future with renewed optimism and a greater sense of stability than has been felt in recent months. That path forward also includes this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix at the historic Hungaroring circuit. It is a race that will serve as a crucial test for the latest updates on the SF-25—particularly its evolutionary package and the newly introduced rear suspension. These components are under scrutiny as the team seeks confirmation that the progress shown during their promising debut at the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps can be replicated on a completely different type of circuit.
While Spa featured high-speed corners and long straights, the Hungaroring is tight, technical, and slow, placing different demands on both car and driver. Nevertheless, some encouraging signs have already emerged during the free practice sessions in Budapest. Ferrari has looked like the second-strongest team on the grid, trailing only the highly competitive McLaren squad, which continues to impress.
However, despite these promising results on paper, driver feedback has been less than uniformly positive. One of the clearest examples came from Charles Leclerc during the second free practice session (FP2). In a team radio message to his race engineer Bryan Bozzi, the Monegasque driver voiced significant dissatisfaction with the braking performance of his SF-25. He described the brakes as “rather poor”—a complaint that echoes similar issues Leclerc has highlighted at various points throughout the current Formula 1 championship.
Charles Leclerc: “These brakes are rather poor.”
This radio message once again brings attention to one of the recurring weak points of Ferrari’s 2025 challenger—the braking system. The team will now need to investigate whether the issue is linked to setup, cooling efficiency, or more structural limitations in the car’s design. Whatever the root cause, finding a solution is crucial if Ferrari wants to mount a serious challenge to McLaren and Red Bull in the second half of the season.
Leave a Reply