Charles Leclerc and Scuderia Ferrari came close to tasting their first victory of the 2025 Formula 1 season, but ultimately the elusive win slipped through their fingers once again—this time at the Hungarian Grand Prix. During the race weekend at the Hungaroring circuit, a mysterious issue unexpectedly struck the Ferrari driver, derailing what had seemed a dominant performance and sparking multiple interpretations about its cause. McLaren driver Lando Norris did not hesitate to capitalise on the opportunity, managing to pull off a strategy that even his own team initially believed was impossible.
A chassis problem
The Hungarian Grand Prix had begun in the best possible way for Charles Leclerc, who successfully defended his lead at the start and maintained his advantage through the first pit stop. However, midway through the second stint of the race, the Monegasque driver expressed frustration over team radio: “I’m feeling the things we discussed before. But we should have spoken about this before the race!” Despite this comment, Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur later clarified that this complaint was unrelated to the dramatic pace drop that occurred towards the end of the race. According to Fred Vasseur, the final phase problems were due to energy management issues tied to the hybrid system.
The most significant problems began immediately after the second pit stop, when Charles Leclerc suddenly found himself lapping two seconds slower than his expected pace. The balance of the SF-25 had shifted dramatically, and the Ferrari became increasingly difficult to drive, something reflected in Leclerc’s increasingly agitated radio messages, where he described the car as undriveable. Frustrated, the number 16 driver blamed the team for not listening to his earlier concerns, believing the issue could have been managed differently.
However, in the post-race media interviews, Charles Leclerc retracted his earlier criticism, admitting: “First of all, I take back what I said on the radio. I initially thought the problem came from one thing, but once I got out of the car, I received more details.” According to Ferrari’s official communications, the issue was attributed to a chassis problem. This is a broad term used in Formula 1 to describe any part of the car not related to the engine, including the floor, suspension, and bodywork. Velocity data revealed no significant drop in straight-line speed, ruling out a switch to a more conservative power unit mode. What remains surprising is that Leclerc was not informed via radio about the specific nature of the issue affecting his SF-25.
Theories behind the failure
It is possible that Ferrari themselves were unaware of what was happening in real time and needed more detailed post-race analysis to determine whether something was damaged during the car’s release from the jack during the pit stop—though this remains a highly unlikely scenario. At times, radio silence can be a deliberate strategy to avoid drawing the attention of the FIA stewards to a potentially disqualifiable issue, thereby preventing post-race scrutineering that could lead to penalties.
One of the more intriguing theories came from Mercedes driver George Russell, who speculated that Ferrari may have feared exceeding the allowed wear limit on the skid block (or “plank”) underneath the car. Such excessive wear could indicate that the car was running too low, potentially violating technical regulations. Russell suggested that the new rear suspension configuration may have been too aggressive, exacerbating the issue. In response, Ferrari may have opted to increase tyre pressures during the final pit stop to reduce deformation and prevent the car from bottoming out excessively. However, this setup change may have pushed the tyres outside of their optimal operating window.
Alternatively, had the problem genuinely been excessive plank wear, Ferrari could have instructed Charles Leclerc to use the “lift and coast” technique. This strategy, which involves lifting off the throttle earlier and braking more gently before corners, reduces aerodynamic load and straight-line speed, helping to prevent the car from squatting too low. It’s a method that has already been used by teams in similar scenarios. Another theory is that the team made a simple human error in setting tyre pressures, or they intentionally raised them for another reason related to post-race legality checks. At the end of each Grand Prix, Pirelli collects the used tyres, bringing them back to starting temperature to verify that the pressures were within the prescribed limits. This may have been what Charles Leclerc was referencing when he said there were other ways he could have managed the issue. However, it is questionable whether a difference of just a couple of psi in pressure could realistically account for a two-second-per-lap drop in performance.
Norris beats the strategists
Regardless of the true cause behind Ferrari’s downfall, the situation represented a major missed opportunity for Charles Leclerc and Scuderia Ferrari—one that Lando Norris was quick to exploit. The British driver had a poor getaway off the line, but recovered well, overtaking Fernando Alonso. Nevertheless, he lacked the pace to pass George Russell on track. With little to lose, Norris and McLaren opted for a bold one-stop strategy that had not even been considered as a viable option by the team’s strategists.
“We didn’t think a one-stop strategy was possible,” admitted McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella. “All credit goes to Lando, who managed to set excellent lap times despite using worn tyres. In a way, we started to believe the single stop could work as we extended the first stint. It was never part of the original plan. It became an option only because we kept Lando out and monitored his pace.”
In Budapest, Lando Norris once again demonstrated that while he may still lack some racecraft in wheel-to-wheel battles, he more than makes up for it with an extraordinary sensitivity in tyre management over long stints. The result was a crucial leap forward in the World Championship standings and a milestone victory for McLaren: the 200th win in the team’s illustrious history. It is a testament to the Woking-based outfit’s ability not only to recover from difficult periods but also to stay competitive across vastly different technological and regulatory eras in Formula 1.
Looking ahead to the autumn showdown
Formula 1 now heads into its summer break before returning for the final stretch of 10 races that will ultimately determine the 2025 World Champion. The second half of the season promises to be defined by McLaren’s papaya orange cars and the rising title battle between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri—a fight in which Ferrari may yet play a decisive role.
Recent data has confirmed that Ferrari has made significant gains in floor-generated downforce, thanks to the unlocked performance of its revised rear suspension. This was particularly evident during the first stint of the Hungarian Grand Prix, when Charles Leclerc was able to pull away from Oscar Piastri’s McLaren.
“We were going as fast as possible, but Leclerc was still controlling the pace,” said Andrea Stella. “I’m not surprised. I think Ferrari will be a real contender for race wins in the remainder of the season.”
The McLaren Team Principal is also keeping a close eye on Mercedes, who claimed a podium finish at the Hungaroring thanks to the strong performance of the W16, which seems to have bounced back following a return to its older suspension layout. Meanwhile, Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen will be looking to respond. The reigning World Champion struggled to get his tyres into the optimal performance window in Hungary, but the team remains convinced that this was an isolated issue.
What better venue to stage a comeback than Zandvoort? The Dutch Grand Prix marks Verstappen’s home race and is where Formula 1 will resume its campaign at the end of August.
And you? What do you think about Charles Leclerc’s issues in Budapest? Let us know with a comment at the end of the article or on our social media channels: Facebook Group / Facebook Page / Instagram / X (former Twitter)
Leave a Reply