Another extremely disappointing and underwhelming performance for Ferrari. The Singapore Grand Prix, round 18 of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship, once again highlighted the persistent struggles of the Scuderia. Despite high expectations, nothing seemed to change for the team, which continues to suffer from mechanical issues that severely limit their competitiveness. Throughout the race, Ferrari faced continuous brake problems that prevented their drivers from pushing to the maximum, leaving them with no choice but to watch helplessly as other teams, particularly Red Bull and Mercedes, controlled the pace from the front. It was a truly embarrassing scenario for a team with such high ambitions. Charles Leclerc’s words were strikingly honest, effectively reaffirming the ongoing technical challenges, while team principal Frederic Vasseur, as often happens, appeared to focus more on finding explanations and offering excuses rather than concrete solutions. To understand the situation more thoroughly, we can now break down the race with the usual detailed technical analysis, highlighting the key decisions, tire strategies, and mechanical limitations that shaped Ferrari’s disappointing outing in Singapore.
Singapore GP: why Red Bull chose the Soft tires
At the very start of the race, the Marina Bay Circuit was not completely dry, but it already offered a reasonable level of grip that allowed drivers to push relatively confidently. For the opening stint, the majority of teams elected to use the medium compound tires, following the approach that had proven effective at the same circuit last year. Red Bull, however, opted for a different approach, choosing the red Soft tires for both of their cars. Among the top ten drivers on the grid, Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso also decided to adopt the same tire strategy. The reasoning behind this choice was complex and multifaceted, reflecting a mix of tactical ambition and confidence in the car’s handling characteristics.
Generally speaking, Red Bull employed this strategy not only to optimize performance but also to disrupt the conventional strategy mix and potentially gain an advantage over competitors. The primary disadvantage of the Soft compound is its tendency to overheat the rear tires very quickly, a situation that teams usually aim to avoid by favoring the more conservative medium tires. However, the Austrian team’s RB21 car is capable of handling the Soft tires more aggressively, thanks to the design of the car that reduces the risk of rear overheating. That said, it remains absolutely crucial to monitor tire degradation carefully and ensure that the aggressive approach does not backfire.
The main advantage of starting on Soft tires was the additional grip it provides at the start of the race. This extra traction is especially useful for attempting to gain positions quickly off the line and potentially take the lead, particularly when starting from the dirty side of the grid, where grip is typically lower. Unfortunately for Red Bull, this objective failed immediately after the first corner: George Russell, driving the Mercedes on medium tires, managed to hold the lead and set a strong, consistent pace that quickly allowed him to build a substantial safety margin over the rest of the field.
McLaren fakes a pit stop and extends the stint
Around lap 15 of the race, Max Verstappen began showing some vulnerability as tire performance fluctuated slightly. The McLaren team attempted to force him into a pit stop to allow Lando Norris, who was faster at that point, to move ahead on the track. Norris was effectively stuck behind Verstappen and needed a strategic opportunity to overtake. To try and manipulate the situation, McLaren simulated a pit stop call for Lando Norris. This was an attempt to trick Red Bull into bringing Max Verstappen into the pit lane earlier than planned. However, the call was made too early to appear credible, and the Red Bull pit wall, directed by their team principal Laurent Mekies, did not fall for the tactic.
Only three laps later, as Fernando Alonso’s pit window opened and there was a real risk of Verstappen getting caught in traffic behind the Spanish driver, Max Verstappen finally made his pit stop and switched to Hard tires. This stop aligned his strategy with other competitors who had opted for a similar tire approach. McLaren, on the other hand, chose to extend Lando Norris’ stint on the track, hoping to exploit any potential incidents or unpredictable situations at the Singapore circuit, which is notorious for safety cars and on-track surprises due to its tight and twisty layout. Ultimately, however, the anticipated opportunities for McLaren did not materialize, and Norris’ extended stint did not translate into the expected advantage.
Charles Leclerc struggles with rear brake imbalance in the first stint
Charles Leclerc displayed significant aggression in the early stages of the race, attempting to gain multiple positions right from the start. However, his efforts were immediately hampered by mechanical limitations. The Ferrari pit wall quickly instructed him to implement lift-and-coast techniques, as the left rear brake was reaching dangerously high temperatures. To manage the situation and prevent further overheating, the Monegasque driver was asked to reduce his braking intensity, effectively lightening the load on the tire and brake system. Shortly afterward, the team identified a more serious issue: an imbalance in the rear brake discs.
The left rear brake continued to overheat throughout the first stint, and once this information was communicated to Charles Leclerc, he was gradually allowed to increase his pace again. In addition, the Ferrari engineers suggested several driving techniques to reduce mid-corner understeer, which would have been more pronounced if he had started on Soft tires. This is why Ferrari ultimately decided against starting the race on red Soft tires, which would have been excessively aggressive on the front axle, further exacerbating handling issues.
The additional grip provided by Soft tires would have increased the rear imbalance, negatively affecting the rotation of the SF-25 car. Charles Leclerc eventually pitted on lap 22 to switch to Hard tires, aiming to defend against an overcut attempt from Kimi Antonelli, who was following closely behind. Antonelli also stopped for Hard tires, rejoining the track 2.5 seconds behind Charles Leclerc. The Italian driver quickly closed the gap, but an on-track overtake required a significantly faster pace, which was difficult to achieve given the Ferrari’s limitations at the time.
The SF-25 was particularly penalized under braking, forcing Charles Leclerc to lift off the accelerator approximately 30 meters earlier than the ideal braking point in every corner to prevent tire and brake temperatures from rising too high. It was only on lap 43 that the Ferrari pit wall allowed him a temporary release from lift-off restrictions, but a few laps later, controlling tire and brake temperatures again became necessary. Understandably, Charles Leclerc was frustrated, as these performance-limiting issues have been persistent throughout the 2025 season and have continually prevented him from maximizing his potential in the Ferrari car.
Red Bull loses pace on Hard tires, McLaren fails to capitalize
Once on Hard tires, Red Bull struggled to maintain competitive pace. In clean air, Max Verstappen had difficulty finding the optimal balance for his car, leading to inconsistent lap times. Although he did not report issues with over-rotation or under-rotation, he still could not maintain a consistently competitive pace necessary to challenge George Russell at the front of the field. Behind him, Lando Norris struggled to take advantage of the situation, despite having tires that were seven laps fresher than Max Verstappen’s.
McLaren, despite having the potentially faster car, failed to capitalize on their advantage. Lando Norris struggled to maintain strong pace in the turbulent air created by Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, limiting his ability to challenge effectively. Both drivers were running on Hard tires, but Norris’ fresher rubber should have provided a clear advantage. Even so, he was unable to make a decisive move. Overall, McLaren emerged as the fastest car on track at various points during the race, outperforming both Red Bull and other competitors, as evidenced by comparative performance data and telemetry.
In summary, the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix highlighted the ongoing struggles of Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc once again limited by mechanical overheating and brake imbalance issues that prevented him from racing at his natural pace. Red Bull executed a bold tire strategy with Soft tires, while Mercedes’ George Russell capitalized on consistent performance to control the race. McLaren demonstrated superior pace but failed to fully exploit strategic opportunities. For Ferrari, the race served as another stark reminder of the technical challenges that continue to hinder their competitiveness in the 2025 Formula 1 season.
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