The Ferrari performance at the Mexican GP, the 20th round of the 2025 F1 season, was surprising in many ways. Qualifying had been exceptional, with the entire team managing to optimize the SF-25’s performance and bring it to the top. Now, the focus shifted to the race, where the challenge intensified over the 300-kilometer distance. Charles Leclerc crossed the line in second place, while Lewis Hamilton could only manage eighth. Let’s take a closer look at the race from the cockpit of the Scuderia Ferrari.
Ferrari struggles at the start
Everything was ready. Standard car checks had already been completed, including the power unit, transmission, hybrid system, and brakes. Only the formation lap awaited. The balance achieved by the Italian team proved excellent—a perfect compromise between aerodynamic downforce and top speed, essential for the race.
The cars lined up on the grid. Leclerc’s start was far from perfect; the clutch didn’t engage smoothly, and Hamilton, reacting faster, stayed in his slipstream to the first corner. They entered side by side into the braking zone, but the Monegasque lost rear grip in a sudden snap, cutting the chicane. On the following straight, he returned the position to Lando Norris, who had capitalized on the situation.
Meanwhile, the Maranello pit wall received news that Hamilton reported a possible front wing damage via radio, confirmed by debris on the track. The start, therefore, was unfavorable for the Ferrari cars, which failed to exploit the slipstream as intended. Max Verstappen also joined the fray, making the opening lap even more chaotic. By lap five, Charles Leclerc had stabilized in second place.
Leclerc maintains a strong pace
Leclerc managed to sustain a competitive rhythm, keeping close to Norris, while Hamilton gradually lost ground due to suboptimal car balance. From the beginning, the Ferrari engineers instructed both drivers to employ lift-and-coast techniques to manage temperatures. For car number 44, this meant lifting off the throttle up to a hundred meters before major braking zones.
Verstappen seized the opportunity to overtake Hamilton, who attempted a response at Turn 4 but locked up and ran wide. Even Verstappen struggled with the corner, allowing Oliver Bearman in the Haas to gain a position. Hamilton remained third, though increasingly distant from Leclerc.
The engineers instructed Hamilton to extend the lift-and-coast to 300 meters before braking to avoid overheating. Up front, Norris tried to pull away, increasing his lead over Charles Leclerc to three seconds. From the pit wall, Bozzi updated Leclerc, praising his optimal management of car balance and temperatures—a testament to the SF-25’s stability in the race’s opening phase.
Hamilton penalized: 10 seconds
As the race progressed, a tactical equilibrium emerged. Drivers focused more on managing the car than outright speed, maximizing efficiency. Radio instructions were clear: increase lift-and-coast and gradually release the throttle earlier under braking. While necessary for car preservation, these measures reduced the SF-25’s competitiveness.
Norris consolidated his lead, almost six seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc, who maintained a safe gap from Hamilton. Onboard footage showed Ferrari struggling through the mid-section of the track, particularly in the “snake” corners, with Hamilton’s car appearing nervous—a sign of imperfect balance.
After careful assessment, the stewards handed Lewis Hamilton a 10-second penalty for not following the track limits during contact with Verstappen, gaining an advantage. The British driver expressed frustration over radio, claiming Leclerc should have yielded in Turn 1.
On lap 24, Hamilton pitted to serve the penalty and change tires. The stop went smoothly, but he rejoined in 14th with medium tires, trapped in traffic and facing a challenging recovery.
Leclerc pursues Verstappen
Hamilton’s race became increasingly difficult. Stuck in traffic, he struggled with rising brake and engine temperatures. Engineer Riccardo Adami advised him to lift earlier under braking to cool the brakes slightly. Meanwhile, at the front, Norris increased his lead to 15 seconds over Charles Leclerc, with Max Verstappen 13 seconds behind but showing a better pace. Lewis Hamilton began catching up, passing Alex Albon and targeting McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, slightly over two seconds ahead and already on fresh tires.
The lift-and-coast strategy remained crucial for brake temperature control. Interestingly, the Verstappen incident was never investigated, despite the Dutchman’s aggressive move into the corner. Lewis steadily climbed positions, eventually moving into the points.
Charles Leclerc pitted on lap 32, receiving a fresh set of tires, rejoining in third, right behind Verstappen, who extended his stint on medium tires from the start. Charles Leclerc’s strategy was clearly focused on chasing Verstappen, with a gap of around 10 seconds. Verstappen pitted on lap 38, emerging just behind Hamilton, who had gained three positions.
Hamilton switches to soft tires
Hamilton now had a five-second gap to Piastri, providing some breathing room. Leclerc resolved a minor radio issue quickly and continued managing his car. Piastri remained close to the two Mercedes cars but couldn’t overtake. Verstappen soon accelerated, regaining seventh place. Hamilton opted for a second stop, switching to soft tires, rejoining in ninth. Both Mercedes and Ollie Bearman also changed tires, while Verstappen moved to third, about 13 seconds behind. Throughout, the SF-25 cars carefully managed lift-and-coast for brake temperatures.
Ferrari secures second place
Leclerc didn’t make further stops. With about 20 laps remaining, the team calculated that maintaining a 1’21”7 pace would keep Verstappen from closing in until the race’s final stages. Lewis Hamilton pushed hard, closing in on Antonelli. Without the lift-and-coast restriction, Ferrari’s pace might have been even stronger—Leclerc delivered a consistent, clean race after the first-corner incident.
With eight laps to go, Verstappen was just over four seconds behind the SF-25. Bozzi guided Charles Leclerc to optimize performance, managing fuel, differential, and braking. Hamilton’s race was effectively over, while Leclerc entered the decisive phase. With three laps remaining, Verstappen couldn’t get into Ferrari’s DRS range. The final twist came with a virtual safety car, which protected Leclerc and ensured second place.
The Mexican GP concluded with an excellent performance from Charles Leclerc, showing composure, consistency, and tactical mastery. Lewis Hamilton’s weekend was compromised by the penalty. For Ferrari, it was a solid middle-of-the-pack race, but the result remains positive.
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