Ferrari finishes fourth in the Constructors’ Championship: what’s gained and what’s lost

Charles Leclerc’s words from earlier in the year still echo in the ears of Ferrari fans: “If we don’t win both championships, it will be a failure.” Ten months and 23 races later, Ferrari is set to close one of its most disappointing seasons, with no victories and only seven podium finishes. Despite a lineup brimming with talent, the SF-25 project has proven flawed from the start, riddled with details that required constant fixing. The engineers never quite found the solution and tried to patch things up with updates that ultimately failed to deliver.

When you combine a temperamental car with occasional management and strategic errors, it becomes clear how the Scuderia gradually slipped to fourth place in the Constructors’ standings. The result is especially disappointing given the numbers and promises from last season. The drivers are eager to leave behind a complicated 2025, with the hope that the new regulatory cycle will mark a fresh chapter.

At Maranello, work on the 678 project—next year’s car—has been ongoing since April. Ironically, the current championship position could actually be advantageous: in F1, finishing lower in the standings grants more aerodynamic development hours. Since Ferrari will remain in fourth, the team is set to receive 256 wind tunnel sessions and 1,600 CFD hours for the SF-26 project.

The downside, however, is financial. The FOM prize money for fourth place is “only” $107 million, compared to $132 million for first place. While this may seem minor for a high-budget team like Ferrari, it won’t sit well with executives focused on the bottom line.

When all is said and done, the numbers are almost secondary. The real damage is to pride: promises broken, expectations shattered and another season ending with the familiar refrain of “we’ll try again next year”. For the most successful team in F1 history, fourth place and no victories is the harshest verdict of all.