The SF-25 continues to be a single-seater that is difficult to put in the right operating window, with a major weakness in qualifying, but in recent weekends the results have improved enough to bring Ferrari back to second place in the Constructors’ Championship. McLaren remains distant in terms of both points and performance, but the 2025 season can still deliver satisfaction, especially if the upcoming updates bring significant progress in the car’s most problematic areas. The outlook for the Maranello team was outlined by team principal Fred Vasseur after the recent Spanish GP, which concluded the European triple header ahead of the trip to Canada.
Fred Vasseur: “SF-25, a sensitive car”
The two consecutive podiums achieved by Charles Leclerc in Monte Carlo and Barcelona have partially improved the team’s season record and boosted morale at Ferrari, but the results from the first nine races of the year have still fallen short of expectations. Fred Vasseur, interviewed by La Stampa, believes the key issue is the SF-25’s poor performance in qualifying: “In terms of race pace, we’re more or less there. The characteristic of this car is that it struggles much more in qualifying than in the race. Like last year, but more pronounced. In Jeddah we were three tenths off pole, then in the race we were the fastest. In Imola, on Saturday we were nowhere (both cars eliminated in Q2, ed.), and the next day we made a comeback. With four teams fighting at the top, if you want to win, you can’t afford to start on the third or fourth row.”
Trying to label the SF-25, Fred Vasseur described it as “sensitive”, adding: “I don’t know if it’s difficult, but we struggle to get it into the right window to get the tyres to work at their best. Qualifying in Imola and Miami were emblematic, where we were faster on used tyres — something I’ve never seen in my life.”
Asked about the updates related to the new floor and rear suspension expected between Canada and Britain, Fred Vasseur remained tight-lipped, only confirming that new parts are coming and that Ferrari does not yet intend to abandon the current car to focus on next year: “I can say we have some developments on the way. It’s not yet time to think only about 2026, even though we’re all getting close to that point. I can’t make promises to the fans except that we’ll give 200%, pushing like crazy — even if the others aren’t sleeping either. But the approach is good.”
Speaking of 2026, Fred Vasseur added: “It’s a fresh start from zero, exciting for everyone. It will be a completely new challenge. I can’t recall anything like it in F1. And it’s impossible to have references compared to the others.”
Drivers: Hamilton’s struggles, Leclerc’s growth
Looking at Ferrari, much is being said about Lewis Hamilton’s performance, clearly still not at ease with the SF-25: “It’s a matter of details,” said Fred Vasseur. “We’re talking about hundredths, which in this highly competitive F1 can make the difference between a first and a third row, between a good weekend and a less good one. But they’re still details — understanding the car, setup, communication. That’s normal when changing teams.”
In Barcelona, the seven-time world champion appeared very downcast at the end of the Grand Prix. Speaking about how to lift Hamilton’s spirits, Fred Vasseur said: “It’s about continuing to work and push together. Honestly, the collaboration is good. You learn more from tough moments, and you come back stronger. In Spain, both cars had a problem in the final stint, and Lewis’s performance suffered from it.”
In Hamilton’s adaptation process at Ferrari, the relationship with his race engineer Riccardo Adami plays an important role. The chemistry between the two still seems to be developing, not helped by some negative team radio messages and a mishap in Monaco qualifying that resulted in a penalty for the Briton: “It was due to a GPS issue — we lost Max Verstappen’s signal,” the former Alfa Romeo team boss emphasized. The French manager added on communication with the pit wall: “The first question to ask is where we can improve and what Lewis expects in terms of information. Team radio doesn’t scare me — some reactions are understandable when you’re doing 300 km/h between the walls. What matters is that before and after, the dialogue is constructive. I can assure you there’s no war going on.”
Hamilton’s performance seems especially poor when compared with a Leclerc who appears to have reached the best level of his career: “I’d say so, he’s doing a good job,” Fred Vasseur confirmed. “Compared to the past, he’s taken a big step forward in terms of clarity about what he wants. He’s more direct in telling the engineers what he needs.”
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