Reflections after the Hungarian Grand Prix, a race that raised the hopes—and ultimately disappointed—the fans of Scuderia Ferrari once again.
Formula 1 heads into the summer break with a McLaren team that appears to have no real rivals on the grid, and a Ferrari team that has now gone 17 consecutive Grands Prix without securing a victory. And yet, on this occasion, Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc came agonisingly close to winning and managed to reignite the passion of Ferrari supporters in a way that has not been seen for quite some time.
Those 27 laps in the lead at the Hungaroring circuit were a breath of fresh air, a long-missing injection of joy that nevertheless stand as a symbolic milestone in Ferrari’s 2025 season—even if the final result was not a happy one. Once again, the victory went to the usual contenders. To make matters worse, McLaren triumphed by executing two entirely different strategies: Lando Norris took the win with just one tyre change, while his teammate Oscar Piastri followed closely behind despite completing two pit stops. In short, McLaren now dominates Formula 1 as it pleases.
Ferrari, on the other hand, left Budapest surrounded by uncertainty—questions that stem from the bitter disappointment of a defeat that, this time, should not have happened. Charles Leclerc himself summed it up perfectly: “We cannot, and must not, let an opportunity like this slip away.”
The Monegasque Ferrari driver expressed this thought with deep frustration and clear anger, referring vaguely to chassis issues that remain difficult to understand—especially given the radio exchange during the race, in which he seemed to imply that the pit wall had ignored some key input from him. However, he never elaborated further on what exactly had been missed.
This situation has sparked suspicion that Scuderia Ferrari may have gambled on tyre pressure in the final set of hard-compound Pirelli tyres, hoping to land a knockout blow against McLaren. That could have been the decisive move, but it instead backfired, leaving Charles Leclerc struggling from lap 40 onward. A real shame. Nonetheless, the positives seen at both Spa-Francorchamps and Budapest offer genuine optimism for the upcoming races after the summer break.
At Maranello, however, the recent progress of the SF-25 car has been overshadowed by a crisis that is threatening both the season and the reputation of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. For the fourth time in this difficult 2025 season, Lewis Hamilton failed to reach Q3 in qualifying—a session that determines the front positions on the grid. He was far too slow and visibly uncomfortable, even during the race itself, which is becoming a recurring issue.
What’s more concerning is that this lack of performance has seemingly triggered a kind of psychological slump. The root cause? The blistering pace of Charles Leclerc, which Lewis Hamilton clearly did not anticipate when he signed with Scuderia Ferrari. This led to a dramatic, almost theatrical comment from the British driver: “It’s my fault, change the driver.”
That shocking statement was later downplayed, with Lewis Hamilton clarifying the next day that he does want to continue racing. Still, the problem remains. When a driver who has already achieved so much begins to show signs of emotional fatigue, anything can happen at any moment. That is why Scuderia Ferrari is now compelled to look around and prepare for every possible outcome.
Among the top drivers, there is one name that Ferrari should secure immediately—not necessarily as a replacement for the short term, especially if Lewis Hamilton overcomes this slump and stays on for 2026—but for the long-term future of the team. That name is Max Verstappen. Is anyone in Maranello already thinking about it? Let us hope they are.
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