Ferrari endured another nightmare weekend in Brazil, where both cars were forced to retire. Charles Leclerc was taken out by Andrea Kimi Antonelli—who himself had been hit by Oscar Piastri—while Lewis Hamilton retired after suffering damage, contact and a series of penalties. Once again, the Scuderia found itself relying solely on Leclerc to carry the team forward.
Heading into Interlagos, Formula 1 fans hoped to see Ferrari secure a third consecutive podium finish. Instead, the race brought disappointment and misfortune. The double retirement didn’t drastically hurt Ferrari’s position in the Constructors’ Championship—where they now sit fourth, behind Red Bull—but it dealt a heavy blow to team morale. With only three rounds remaining in the 2025 season, the Scuderia Ferrari does not seem to have the pace or consistency needed to close the 36-point gap to Mercedes. The risk of finishing behind Red Bull and Mercedes is becoming very real.
Ferrari remains a one-man team
It is increasingly clear that Ferrari continues to function as a one-driver team — and that driver is Charles Leclerc. At Interlagos, the Monegasque driver had a genuine chance of fighting for the podium, but his race ended almost immediately when he was hit by Antonelli’s Mercedes after the safety car restart. The young Italian was in turn struck by Piastri’s McLaren, who attempted a risky move at the restart and caused the chain reaction that wiped out Leclerc’s Ferrari.
Once Leclerc was out, the Scuderia was left adrift. Hamilton once again appeared a shadow of the seven-time world champion he once was. In Brazil, his race was marked by contact, a damaged car, and penalties handed down by the stewards. Eventually, Ferrari called him back to the garage to retire the SF-25 due to the extent of the damage. Perhaps that was the best outcome — better than watching Hamilton circulate aimlessly at the back of the pack.
A disappointing reality for Hamilton and Ferrari
This race summed up the season perfectly — and calling it disappointing would be an understatement. Lewis Hamilton was hired by Ferrari’s top management with a clear mission: to bring the world championship back to Maranello. But that dream has turned into frustration. The British driver still has one year left on his contract with the team, yet his future beyond that remains uncertain.
For Ferrari and its fans, the end of the championship cannot come soon enough. Three races still remain, but they feel like an eternity for the Tifosi, who continue to support the team with unwavering passion — even when Ferrari so often fails to meet expectations. Once again, it is only thanks to Leclerc’s talent and determination that Ferrari has managed to stay competitive at all this season.
Leclerc’s uncertain future at Ferrari
There is growing concern that Charles Leclerc could leave the team after 2026 if the situation does not improve. The Monegasque driver has shown remarkable loyalty and patience, but his ambitions to fight for the championship cannot be satisfied with a car that constantly falls short. The only way to keep Charles Leclerc in red is to give him a truly competitive Formula 1 car — one worthy of his talent. Anything less will not be enough.
Once again, Ferrari’s season highlights a painful truth: without Charles Leclerc, the team lacks direction, results, and spirit. The SF-25 has shown flashes of potential, but too often those moments have been followed by reliability issues, mistakes, or poor luck. The road ahead is long, and unless Maranello delivers a major step forward, the fear of losing their star driver will only grow stronger.
As many Ferrari fans say — everything else is just talk. What matters now is giving Charles Leclerc a car that can win.
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