Ferrari arrived in Singapore with a clear and demanding mission for the qualifying session: to place both cars as high on the grid as possible and keep their chances for a podium finish alive. The Marina Bay Street Circuit, known for its narrow layout and unforgiving walls, makes qualifying one of the most decisive moments of the weekend. Things initially looked rather positive for the Scuderia, particularly after the FIA cleared Lewis Hamilton of any wrongdoing following an investigation into a potential red flag breach during the final practice session. With that issue resolved, both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were able to focus fully on the challenge ahead, determined to fight near the top and maximize the performance of the SF-25.
So let’s take a detailed look at how events unfolded for the Maranello team on Saturday afternoon: the first segment of qualifying got underway with both Ferrari SF-25 cars fitted with the Soft compound tyres. This compound often proves challenging for the Maranello team due to the car’s sensitivity to tyre temperature and its occasional inconsistency in maintaining optimal grip levels. The outlap was more aggressive compared to what the team had done in the practice sessions, and from the very first timed runs, both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc immediately began pushing hard, daringly brushing close to the concrete walls that line the Singapore circuit. However, it quickly became clear that the car looked unstable and rather nervous, particularly through the slower and more technical sections of the lap.
After their initial flying laps, both drivers completed two cooldown laps to lower tyre temperatures. Over the team radio, Charles Leclerc requested to be warned early in case of potential traffic or proximity with his teammate Lewis Hamilton, in order to avoid any possible interference. Meanwhile, the British driver received feedback from his engineer on his braking approach into turns 3 and 5 — two areas where he was advised to modulate his entry phase more carefully to improve precision. At that stage, Lewis Hamilton’s tyres still did not appear to be operating within the optimal temperature window, which affected his overall grip and braking stability.
Looking at the sector times, Charles Leclerc began to lose ground in the middle sector of the track, where his car struggled for traction and stability when exiting corners. The gap between the two Ferrari drivers remained minimal, around fifty thousandths of a second in favor of Lewis Hamilton. Both drivers could be seen fighting with the steering wheel, making several corrections both on corner entry and mid-corner. Lewis Hamilton asked for a small increase in front-end load to improve turn-in, while Charles Leclerc decided to maintain the current setup, preferring consistency.
The Ferrari SF-25 continued to behave unpredictably. In some corners, the car resisted rotation and understeered wide, while in others, the rear end became too lively and unstable — clear signs of ongoing issues with thermal management and balance. After a short pit stop for adjustments, both drivers went back out on a new set of Soft tyres, hoping to take advantage of a more favorable temperature window and improve their feeling with the track surface.
Lewis Hamilton completed a confident and composed lap, attacking the walls with precision and minimizing errors. Only a small oversteer moment in the third sector slightly disrupted the lap, but it was immediately corrected. Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, aborted his flying lap after a less-than-ideal first sector, opting to save the tyres. Despite the inconsistent feeling from both cars, Ferrari managed to safely advance to Q2, although there was still an urgent need to find more consistency in tyre performance. The first elimination phase claimed Felipe Bortoleto, Lance Stroll, Franco Colapinto, Esteban Ocon, and Pierre Gasly.
Q2: Ferrari continues to struggle with tyre sensitivity
As the qualifying session progressed into its more decisive stage, the pressure on both Ferrari drivers increased. The Marina Bay circuit demands absolute precision, and every small mistake can cost several tenths of a second. Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc had to push closer to the walls than before, trying to extract every bit of speed from their SF-25 cars. Track temperature had dropped by about six degrees compared to the final free practice session, which made tyre warm-up even trickier and grip management more delicate. Ferrari’s balance once again appeared closely tied to tyre behavior — a recurring problem that had been evident throughout the weekend.
Both Ferrari drivers struggled to hit the apex consistently in several corners, with a clear lack of rotation, especially on their first timed attempts. On the second run, the situation improved slightly, but turn 16 continued to be a critical area. The rear end tended to step out unpredictably, suggesting that the setup was still extremely delicate and perhaps too on the edge. A brief red flag period allowed marshals to clear debris from the track, giving both drivers and engineers a short moment to regroup.
When the session resumed, both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc went back out on track fitted with another fresh set of Soft tyres. Their outlaps were more aggressive, aimed at quickly bringing the tyres into the correct temperature window. Lewis Hamilton was forced to lift off after locking up at turn 1, while Charles Leclerc also abandoned his lap, dissatisfied with the feel of the car and reporting poor front-end response. It was evident that neither set of tyres had reached the right working range yet.
The Ferrari SF-25’s sensitivity to tyre temperatures once again became a defining factor. On his following attempt, Lewis Hamilton ran slightly wide over the curb at turn 1 and lost the rear momentarily, but he recovered swiftly and completed a clean and competitive lap, although it wasn’t entirely free of small mistakes. Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, found himself struggling to keep the car within the ideal racing line. He brushed the wall at turn 14, managing to avoid damage but losing valuable time in the process.
Back in the pits, Charles Leclerc’s mechanics replaced his front wing before both Ferrari drivers headed back out for one final attempt on brand-new Soft tyres. The Monegasque driver continued to report a lack of rotation, explaining that he had to push the front tyres too hard, which affected his confidence when turning into corners. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton, confident that his previous lap was sufficient, chose to save his tyres and did not complete another full push lap. Charles Leclerc’s final lap was similar in pace to his teammate’s, just enough to secure a spot in Q3.
Despite both drivers progressing, Ferrari’s optimism remained low. The SF-25 continued to expose its weaknesses — inconsistent tyre management, unpredictable mid-corner balance, and limited stability on the rear. These limitations, which have characterized much of Ferrari’s 2025 season, were again clearly visible on a street circuit that punishes every small imperfection. Eliminated in Q2 were Nico Hülkenberg, Alexander Albon, Carlos Sainz, Liam Lawson, and Yuki Tsunoda.
Q3: The final push exposes Ferrari’s limits
With the final qualifying part underway, the atmosphere in the Ferrari garage grew tense. Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc waited in the pit lane for the green light, ready for the decisive runs that would determine their starting positions for the Singapore Grand Prix. Once the session began, the two drivers left the pits cautiously, focusing on gradually bringing their tyres — especially the fronts — into the proper operating range. On the rear, a specific brake mapping was used to stabilize disc temperatures and maintain overall car balance during the outlap.
Track position worked in Ferrari’s favor, allowing both drivers to prepare their laps without traffic. Their first runs were used mainly to assess car behavior, with both SF-25 cars fitted with used Soft tyres. “Good job, Charles,” engineer Bryan Bozzi said over the radio, aiming to boost Charles Leclerc’s confidence. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton’s engineer, Riccardo Adami, guided him with more analytical feedback, pointing out precise areas of improvement in braking zones and corner exits. Both drivers then returned to the pits for a final set of fresh Soft tyres, knowing that the last attempt could make all the difference.
From that point onward, every minor detail could decide the outcome. Tyre activation was managed more carefully, with both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc avoiding excessive warm-up to stay within the optimal temperature range. Charles Leclerc attempted to push harder, but his final lap was far from clean — the SF-25 appeared nervous and twitchy, demanding constant corrections. Lewis Hamilton, marginally quicker overall, faced similar challenges, particularly in the slower corners where rear stability was fragile.
As the chequered flag fell, the final results confirmed Ferrari’s struggles. Lewis Hamilton secured sixth place, while Charles Leclerc ended just behind in seventh. Ferrari once again showed flashes of competitive pace, but never the consistency or control required to fight for the front rows. The SF-25 proved capable of moments of brilliance yet remained fundamentally limited by its narrow operating window and unpredictable handling.
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