With only two months remaining until the conclusion of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship, the remaining calendar features six Grand Prix events, including three sprint races, that Ferrari would likely prefer to approach with caution or, ideally, avoid altogether. The outlook for the team is not particularly encouraging at this stage of the season. The Scuderia exits Singapore as the fourth-strongest team in terms of overall performance, a position that Charles Leclerc himself confirmed without hesitation, emphasizing that there were no doubts about the team’s relative standing this time. Meanwhile, the podium has eluded the team for five consecutive races, highlighting an ongoing performance gap. Mercedes, currently sitting second in the Constructors’ standings, has increased its points advantage to a solid +25 points over Ferrari, while Red Bull has been steadily closing the gap and now sits just 10 points behind. More than the raw numbers, however, it is the persistent negative trend that has become increasingly concerning for Ferrari supporters and loyal fans around the world.
Formula 1 teams are already working at full pace on their 2026 car projects, meaning that for the final six races of the 2025 season, the technical performance levels of the cars will largely remain consistent with those observed in recent events, with minor variations occurring only due to differences in track characteristics, surface conditions, or varying weather conditions. Given this context, it is increasingly difficult to envision a scenario in which Ferrari could extract anything significantly positive from the remaining races of the season. Unless extraordinary and unforeseen developments occur, both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are likely to endure a slow and laborious progression toward the chequered flag at the season finale in Abu Dhabi. Comments from Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur have painted a clear picture in which weekend-specific technical and mechanical issues have a direct and sometimes decisive impact on the overall performance of the cars. At the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore, the anomalies that severely hampered both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were directly linked to overheating problems in the braking system, a critical component for managing speed and handling through the circuit’s tight corners.
Frederic Vasseur explained that both the Baku Grand Prix and the Singapore Grand Prix started in a promising fashion, with competitive pace evident during the early sessions. However, during the Singapore event, the team was confronted with persistent cooling issues from the very beginning of the weekend. Even when the drivers were running in clean air, free from traffic interference, the pace of the Ferrari SF-25 cars was only moderately competitive, and never truly enough to challenge the leading cars consistently. Fred Vasseur emphasized that in recent races, Ferrari has been a noticeable step behind its main rivals, and highlighted the urgent need to improve not only the inherent performance potential of the car but also the overall execution of the race weekend strategy. Maximizing both car performance and the effectiveness of the drivers is absolutely essential for achieving results that meet both team and fan expectations. According to the French manager, results such as those seen in Singapore are undeniably frustrating and underscore the team’s current challenges. He also noted that beginning with the Austin Grand Prix, Ferrari must return to a position where it can maintain strong pace consistently across every session of a Grand Prix weekend.
Across the eighteen race weekends completed so far in the 2025 season, Formula 1 teams have faced an impressive variety of track types, including circuits that favor high-speed cornering, tight street circuits, and tracks with heavy braking zones. They have also experienced a wide range of conditions, from completely dry surfaces to heavy rain, and from extreme heat to notably lower ambient temperatures. The brake overheating issues encountered in Singapore had a substantial and direct effect on the race performance of both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. However, over the course of the season, the frequency of such unexpected technical anomalies has become so widespread that what might once have been considered an extraordinary event has increasingly become almost routine for Ferrari team.
There always seems to be something missing that prevents Ferrari from achieving what it has yet to secure in eighteen completed races. This persistent lack of success fuels a growing suspicion among fans and analysts alike that little will change over the final six Grands Prix of the season. While a return to the podium may be theoretically possible in one of these remaining events, what once appeared to be a minimum expectation at the start of the season has now evolved into a target that is far more difficult to achieve, highlighting the challenges the team faces in maintaining competitiveness against Red Bull, Mercedes, and other top competitors.
The face of Ferrari in 2025 continues to be Charles Leclerc. His tenure at Maranello is significantly longer than those of Frederic Vasseur or Lewis Hamilton, giving him a deep familiarity with both the pressures and frustrations that come with driving for the historic Italian team. Over the years, the sources from which he might draw a sense of optimism or a small smile of encouragement have largely been depleted. Charles Leclerc noted, with a sense of resignation, that Mercedes has made substantial progress this season, while Red Bull and McLaren have consistently maintained strong performance levels from the very beginning of the year. The Monegasque driver acknowledged that Ferrari’s strategic decisions during races, while sound, are insufficient on their own to dramatically alter the results. Ultimately, he emphasized that the final placement achieved in Singapore accurately reflected the true potential of the car in its current configuration.
Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, was able to experience a period of high pace during roughly one-third of the Singapore Grand Prix, largely thanks to the team’s decision to execute a second pit stop and fit a fresh set of soft tires. This tactical choice allowed Lewis Hamilton to recover over twenty seconds on his teammate Charles Leclerc. Unfortunately, while closing in on Kimi Antonelli for fifth position, Lewis Hamilton’s braking system failed completely, preventing him from capitalizing further on the recovery opportunity. The soft tires had provided exceptional pace and allowed him to significantly reduce the gap to the cars directly ahead, but the brake issue ultimately cost him a key overtaking opportunity as well as the chance to score additional championship points that could have been critical in the Constructors’ and Drivers’ standings.
Later in the race, Lewis Hamilton was required to cede the final seventh-place position to Fernando Alonso due to track-limit violations, although this adjustment had minimal impact on the overall picture of his weekend performance. The underlying problems for both Lewis Hamilton and the Ferrari team, however, run far deeper than these individual setbacks. They reflect structural and recurring challenges with the car’s technical package, the cooling and braking systems, and the overall consistency of race weekend performance—factors that must be addressed urgently if Ferrari hopes to regain competitiveness before the season concludes in Abu Dhabi.
As the 2025 season moves toward its final stretch, Ferrari’s difficulties in both maximizing car performance and executing weekend strategy consistently highlight the significant gap that remains between the Italian team and its main rivals. With Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc both struggling to extract the full potential of the SF-25 car under difficult conditions, the Maranello team faces a critical period in which technical improvements, operational precision, and strategic excellence must all converge. Otherwise, the remainder of the season may continue to see the team settle into a position outside the top three, despite their historical stature, experience, and past successes in Formula 1.
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