Scuderia Ferrari’s rise to second place in the constructors’ championship ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix does not fully reflect the complexities of their weekend at the 4.657-kilometre Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Charles Leclerc was the standout performer for Ferrari, securing a podium finish alongside McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris after an intense and action-packed race in Spain.
The Monegasque chose to sacrifice his final qualifying run to preserve an additional set of fresh tyres for the race, a strategy that paid off handsomely when a late safety car was deployed by Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton faced a much more challenging race.
Starting fourth after a strong overtaking move on George Russell during the opening lap, Hamilton soon found himself losing pace to Leclerc, who demonstrated clearly superior race speed. Hamilton had to yield position to his teammate as the race progressed.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur acknowledged that both drivers encountered difficulties in Spain but declined to elaborate on the specific issues they faced.
Despite managing the race fairly well, Ferrari did not meet the high expectations they had set before the Grand Prix, a sentiment shared by commentator David Croft. Both drivers were affected, though Lewis Hamilton’s struggles were more pronounced by the end of the race.
David Croft criticized Ferrari for their delayed decision in swapping their drivers during the Spanish Grand Prix
Speaking on The Fast and The Curious Podcast, Croft expressed his views on Lewis Hamilton’s race strategy. He suggested that being overtaken by Nico Hulkenberg in a Ferrari-powered Sauber would naturally cause Hamilton to question his own performance and approach.
Croft said the weekend did not go well for Hamilton from the start. He also highlighted Ferrari’s tardiness in switching driver strategies, despite earlier assurances from the team that the situation was under control.
Croft noted that once Charles Leclerc closed in on Hamilton with fresher medium tyres, it was obvious that overtaking was necessary, as Hamilton was struggling to maintain pace. He also admitted uncertainty about the exact problems Hamilton’s car was experiencing, as he had not yet spoken with Ferrari representatives.
Croft emphasized that while Lewis Hamilton’s average finishing position this season hovers around sixth place and his points tally per race aligns with Ferrari’s median, it does not meet the expectations set when the Briton joined the Maranello team. His goal was to achieve podium finishes and race victories, goals that have largely remained out of reach apart from a strong sprint performance in China.
Ferrari faces pressure to improve with Lewis Hamilton and Fred Vasseur ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix
Currently trailing McLaren by 197 points in the constructors’ championship, Ferrari’s chances of catching their rivals this season appear slim. Unexpected reliability issues with Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull’s shortage of a strong second driver have allowed Ferrari to remain the best of the rest in the standings so far.
Still, both Lewis Hamilton and team principal Frederic Vasseur are aware that significant progress is necessary. The French manager has urged the team to maintain humility while working on improving the SF-25, even as they focus on developing next year’s car.
The Italian side is targeting fixes to the car’s rear suspension as a key step forward. However, if these improvements fail to make the SF-25 competitive, the team may have to consider abandoning hopes for this season. This is a scenario the Briton will be reluctant to accept. His priority will likely be understanding why he lagged so far behind Leclerc’s pace in Spain and finding solutions to bridge that gap.
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