Ferrari’s 2025 Formula 1 season hasn’t followed any predictable script. It’s the kind of story that began with whispered promises but has since drifted into uncertainty, corner after corner, leaving an ending still to be written. This is the tale of a team that struggles to find the right path. Yet, all signs had initially pointed toward a positive outlook, with a title fight expected to be a central part of the journey.
The necessary step forward
It’s hard to feel satisfied while losing, especially when the iconic Prancing Horse is stamped across the race suits, helmets, and bodywork. Still, this has been Ferrari’s reality for too long now, and the team has had to accept it. Bahrain testing had already dimmed fan expectations early on. Something wasn’t right from the very beginning.
Any hope that it was a misinterpretation soon faded into uncertainty. That is the key word, uncertainty, because even now, Ferrari doesn’t fully understand what went wrong during the car’s development phase. Looking back is helpful to learn from mistakes, but what’s needed is a rapid shift in direction.
That shift is exactly what Frederic Vasseur and his team have been working toward for months. In moments like these, there’s no room for error, which explains why corrections have been slow to appear. Progress is essential to restore belief in a title challenge—something that has been missing at Maranello since the end of the 2024 season.
The example Ferrari can’t follow
McLaren remains well ahead when it comes to interpreting the current ground effect regulations. And this may be Ferrari’s biggest flaw: underestimating areas of the car that could have provided a technical edge. After a disastrous 2022 season, the historic Woking-based team executed a precise recovery strategy.
It wasn’t easy and required time—something Ferrari doesn’t have right now. That is why using McLaren as a benchmark during the final season of regulatory stability isn’t realistic. So far, Ferrari has been trying to pull all the pieces together. Fred Vasseur recently admitted that the team has failed to do so during several race weekends. And this goes beyond just Canada. The team has been struggling to execute across entire weekends—an increasingly decisive factor in today’s Formula 1. Still, this alone isn’t enough. Upgrades are needed, and some are expected in the upcoming races. A revised floor could arrive as soon as Austria, efforts are underway. It has been a clear target for the team and remains in development.
Additional updates are planned to try to turn this season around. Because finishing the year without a single race win, only fighting for podiums when luck is on their side, is not acceptable for Ferrari. There is also a key topic regarding the drivers—specifically Lewis Hamilton. Despite being unhappy with the current situation, he hasn’t given up on his dream of an eighth world title.
Lewis Hamilton’s goal
While the 2025 season may be lost, the next one offers a real chance to reverse the trend. Lewis Hamilton is still struggling to find the right connection with the car. For this reason, he sees the current season as a period of adaptation to the team—preparation for the new rules era. His main priority is simple: have a title-contending car.
Unlike other drivers who might be envious, Lewis Hamilton hasn’t criticized Ferrari’s approach; instead, he’s called it interesting. He is particularly referring to the Maranello team’s upgrade strategy. This week, his tone shifted slightly, showing some understanding for the delays in bringing updates. After all, finding performance in the final year of a regulations cycle is never easy.
Lewis Hamilton believes both his own performance and that of the SF-25 will improve moving forward. He recognizes the importance of continuing to push hard while also emphasizing the long-term goal: 2026. It’s a dual focus. The most delicate part of the season is approaching, and after weeks of stagnation and disappointment, Ferrari seems determined to get back on the right path—both for now and for the future.
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