Ferrari: Charles Leclerc penalized by the Safety Car, advantage lost in Bahrain. Charles Leclerc’s Bahrain GP was compromised by a poorly timed Safety Car.

In the Bahrain Grand Prix pre-race, Ferrari’s strategy with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton was unclear, especially regarding the choice of starting tire. In the leading group, everyone opted for the Soft tire for the first stint at the 5.412-kilometre Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, while the two SF-25 cars started with Mediums. The decision was based on the idea that, with a full fuel load, the Italian car would have more tendency to slide.

The use of the yellow tire, which has a slightly higher operating temperature range, could help improve the thermal management of the rear. The decision was therefore made considering the fact that Bahrain is one of the most demanding circuits for tire thermal degradation and that the main limit is the overheating of the rear, especially during acceleration phases.

With this strategy, Ferrari planned to use the Pirelli tires with the red band only in the final phase of the Bahrain Grand Prix, when the car would be lighter and its behavior more predictable. On the other hand, those who started with the red tire had better acceleration from the grid. George Russell and Lando Norris, for example, with less rear-sensitive cars, warmed their tires more slowly but in a controlled manner. In the first laps, Charles Leclerc struggled with the Medium tire. A lot of oversteer, indicating complicated thermal management of the rear. The Monegasque driver also reported brake issues, described as “inconsistent,” while Lewis Hamilton complained of poor grip, again on the Medium tires. Various instructions came from the Ferrari pit.

These referred to the temperatures, including advice on corner speeds at specific points on the track. The Monegasque responded that he would do a “Lift and Coast.” In the first phase of the stint, it was evident that the Soft was more consistent. From the tenth lap onward, however, even the cars with the red tire started to suffer, with Oscar Piastri reporting rear overheating.

Lewis Hamilton reported that the tires were improving, suggesting delaying the pit stop, as his Ferrari race engineer Riccardo Adami confirmed that they had switched to “Plan B.” Tire cooling in this phase is linked to the reduction of tread thickness: as the tire wears, it deforms less, generating less heat.

Let’s also take a look at the pit stops and strategies to see who made the best choice. The first to pit were Lando Norris and Max Verstappen. McLaren mounted the Medium tire to try an undercut on George Russell, considering the 5-second penalty. On a high-degradation circuit like Sakhir, the undercut is extremely effective. Max Verstappen, on the other hand, complained of overheating at the front and a general lack of grip.

The RB21 single-seater proves very sensitive to temperatures, and the Austrian F1 team chose to mount the Hard tire, which is more manageable but provides less grip. Lando Norris, four laps later, received the new Medium compound: according to the engineers of the Italian team, it was more competitive than a used Soft.

At Ferrari, Charles Leclerc made his first stop on lap 19, with the mechanics mounting a second set of Mediums on his car. The Hard tire was discarded after Max Verstappen’s reports, who had radioed in saying there was no grip at all. The same choice was made for the British driver of the Italian team.

With the second set of Mediums, Charles Leclerc showed excellent race pace, recovering time on the leading group. Based on the onboard footage, it is evident how Charles Leclerc managed to stabilize the rear tire temperature, keeping it about +10 degrees celsius over the target. The SF-25 single-seater showed good balance and responsiveness during this phase. At this point, the Maranello team’s strategy was “exposed” and needed to make another stop to change tire compounds.

On the other hand, they had only used the Mediums. McLaren was considering a double stop, deeming the single-stop strategy too slow. They also explained to Lando Norris that Charles Leclerc had passed him only because of a tire that was four laps fresher, and that none of the drivers ahead had any Mediums left. A compound that, in the end, was the best of the Bahrain Grand Prix

The Safety Car on lap 30 neutralized any potential undercut. All the teams were already in the ideal pit stop window and thus called their drivers in. McLaren mounted the last set of Mediums, confirming the excellent strategic management of the team. George Russell switched to used Softs, despite having Hard tires available.

Ferrari, on the other hand, fitted Hard tires on both cars, ignoring the possibility of mounting the used Softs. The idea was to aim for more manageable thermal management. However, when the race restarted, the limits became clear: Lewis Hamilton immediately reported issues with the front tires, speaking of a lack of rotation. The understeer of the SF-25 became evident, especially with the white compound.

In hindsight, Ferrari might have split the strategy and put Softs on one of the two drivers. There was no radio communication discussing tire preference with Charles Leclerc or Lewis Hamilton, although it is possible they communicated via the steering wheel to avoid giving any references to competitors.

Compared to 2024, the SF-25 car took a step back in terms of race pace. The Bahrain Grand Prix once again confirmed this, especially on the very abrasive track surface. The first stint with the Mediums and full fuel showed too much degradation. Things improved afterward, but pure performance is still lacking.

Charles Leclerc stated it clearly: the car is not yet as complete as the McLaren, making it difficult to find a competitive setup on every track. The SF-25 works well with the Medium tire, struggles with the Hard, and is sensitive to every external condition. There is a lot of work to do. The next race in Saudi Arabia at the Jeddah circuit could highlight the Ferrari’s rear-end efficiency. And there, every technical and strategic decision will weigh heavily.