After twelve rounds of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship, Scuderia Ferrari finds itself in a season marked by inconsistency and fluctuating form. The most recent Grand Prix at Silverstone was no exception to this trend.
Following the British Grand Prix, the Maranello-based team currently holds second place in the Constructors’ Championship standings, with a total of 222 points—just 12 points ahead of their closest rivals, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. In recent races, Ferrari has occasionally shown flashes of competitiveness and potential, but these brief moments have not been enough to pose a serious threat to the ever-strong McLaren F1 Team, which continues to perform at a consistently high level.
The latest episode of the Italian motorsport podcast “Terruzzi Racconta”, hosted by journalist Giorgio Terruzzi along with Stefano Nicoli and Pino Allievi, included a detailed analysis of Ferrari’s first half of the 2025 season. Together, they highlighted a very concerning common thread that seems to run through all of Ferrari’s performances in the Grands Prix contested so far this year.
According to Stefano Nicoli, while there were some encouraging signs during the Silverstone weekend, it would be completely unrealistic to consider Ferrari’s first 12 races of the season as a success. He explained: “There were a few small positives at Silverstone, even though we’re now halfway through the season, with 12 races out of 24 completed. To call this first part of the season a success for Ferrari would be madness. Still, I did notice some encouraging signs at Silverstone. However, those positive signs were clearly influenced by several external factors, including the specific nature of the Silverstone tarmac, which played a significant role. Now I’m curious to see whether what we saw in dry conditions during qualifying can be repeated at circuits with very different characteristics.”
Nicoli also pointed out that alarm bells should be ringing at Ferrari headquarters in Maranello, especially when taking into account recent comments from seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton. He added: “The real issue—the transformation we need to focus on—is what Lewis Hamilton said. On Saturday, after putting in a strong lap in qualifying, despite making a mistake in the final corner, Hamilton said it was the best he had felt in the car. Then, in the wet race conditions, he had another impressive performance, yet he also said the car was completely undriveable in every corner. That contrast is important. When conditions change, there are cars like McLaren’s that perform well everywhere, in every situation. But Ferrari’s car shows a dramatic shift in behaviour depending on the conditions, and this is evident with both drivers. There are a few minor positive signs, but now we have to wait for the new suspension system and see what kind of impact that brings.”
An SF-25 that lacks stability and consistency
So what is truly missing from the SF-25 Formula 1 car? Based on Nicoli’s assessment, the fundamental problem appears to be the lack of consistency. Ferrari’s performance seems to fluctuate significantly depending on the circuit layout and weather conditions, making the car unpredictable and difficult to optimise across a race weekend.
Giorgio Terruzzi offered another perspective, pointing to Ferrari’s difficulty in converting potential into actual race results. He stated: “The problem is turning that potential into competitive substance when it really matters. During Free Practice 1, 2, and 3, everything looks good. In Q1 and Q2 as well, the car behaves well. But when it comes to Q3 and the race—the most important moments—things suddenly deteriorate, sometimes dramatically.”
Veteran journalist Pino Allievi further added that the drivers’ mistakes in both qualifying and races stem from the same lack of stability in the car’s behaviour. He explained: “In Q3, Ferrari drivers have made errors, yes, but that’s because they are being forced to push beyond the limit just to keep the car near the front. They are taking huge risks, which naturally leads to more mistakes compared to the McLaren drivers, who have a much more manageable and reliable car underneath them. Let’s not forget, though—Ferrari still has one of the best overall teams in Formula 1. The effort from the drivers is undeniable—they are giving absolutely everything.”
In conclusion, while the SF-25 has demonstrated moments of promise during the first half of the 2025 Formula 1 season, Ferrari is still far from being a consistent title contender. To close the gap to teams like McLaren and Red Bull Racing, the Scuderia must urgently address the car’s variability, optimise its performance in changing conditions, and maximise its competitiveness during the key sessions that truly count: Q3 and race day.
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