The 2025 Formula 1 season reaches a pivotal moment this weekend at Silverstone, marking the halfway point of the championship calendar. It is the perfect opportunity to review and assess the results achieved so far by the leading teams. For Scuderia Ferrari, despite holding second place in the Constructors’ Championship standings, the situation is far from ideal, and there is little cause for celebration.
The Italian team entered the season with very high expectations after signing seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and finishing last season just a few points behind McLaren in the Constructors’ battle. However, to date, Ferrari remains the only one among the top four teams yet to secure a Grand Prix victory, and the hopes of ending the winless drought in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships have already faded.
“It has been a much tougher first part of the season than we expected,” admitted Charles Leclerc, speaking during the press conference on the eve of the Silverstone Grand Prix weekend. “When you finish the year as we did last year, fighting for race wins and the Constructors’ title, you start the new season hoping to at least maintain that position. It hasn’t gone that way — we have struggled a bit more.”
“Now, though, we are finding our way again,” the Monegasque driver emphasized. “The developments we have introduced have definitely helped us make progress.”
A special race at Silverstone
Silverstone holds a particular significance for Ferrari and for Charles Leclerc personally. Although he has yet to win on this historic British circuit, he has managed to collect podium finishes here even in seasons that were quite challenging for the Scuderia, such as in 2020. Lewis Hamilton, Leclerc’s teammate, is famously regarded as the “king” of Silverstone and holds multiple wins at this track. For Hamilton, this weekend represents a prime opportunity to chase his first podium finish with the Prancing Horse.
“We are improving step by step,” Charles Leclerc said. “We’re still not fully satisfied because, naturally, the ultimate goal is to win races. But in the past, we have been fairly competitive here — Lewis has always driven exceptionally well at Silverstone, so I hope we can have a strong weekend and maybe even the chance to win.”
Surprised by McLaren’s dominance
Charles Leclerc also addressed the striking dominance McLaren has shown in the championship so far. He admitted to being surprised by the scale of Woking’s superiority.
“Are there upgrades coming? We are doing everything possible to close the gap. But I don’t think we’ll be able to close it completely. They have too big of an advantage,” Charles Leclerc explained. “If we put pressure on them, though, we might force them into mistakes.” – the Monegasque driver pointed out.
“I don’t think anyone expected McLaren to dominate to this extent,” he continued. “It’s not just down to one factor but many things. One area where they’ve improved significantly is in dealing with hot conditions. That’s something we still need to understand better.”
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