Ferrari struggled to convert potential into victories during the 2025 Formula 1 season. Errors, technical problems and a complicated debut for Lewis Hamilton left many questions unanswered, keeping the future wide open. Will 2026 finally be the year of a true turnaround for the Scuderia?
The 2025 F1 season began with huge expectations for Scuderia Ferrari, which unveiled the new SF-25 with the clear objective of returning consistently to the top of Formula 1. The technical structure was built around a blend of experience and innovation, while on track the driver line-up featured Charles Leclerc alongside seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who had arrived from Mercedes with ambitious goals and enormous media attention.
Pre-season testing revealed a car with clear potential but not one capable of dominating the field. From the very first runs, early doubts emerged about Ferrari’s ability to fight consistently for race victories across different circuits and conditions.
Sporting results and on-track performance
Ferrari finished the 2025 season in fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship with a total of 398 points, behind McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes. The SF-25 failed to secure a single Grand Prix victory and managed to win only one Sprint Race, ending the year with seven podium finishes and just one pole position.
Some race weekends offered encouraging signs. Lewis Hamilton came close to a podium finish at Silverstone, while Charles Leclerc delivered strong performances on circuits such as Spa-Francorchamps and in Mexico. However, episodes such as four double retirements (DNFs) highlighted the underlying difficulties of the car and the fragility of Ferrari’s overall package.
Technical and strategic weaknesses
The SF-25 suffered from recurring issues related to stability, tyre degradation and the overall management of the aerodynamic package. Several updates introduced during the season, including changes to the rear suspension and aerodynamic modifications, failed to fully resolve the car’s limitations.
Critical moments, such as the double disqualification of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in China, exposed operational errors in managing minimum weight requirements and the floor plank regulations. These incidents increased internal pressure and clearly showed how much work Ferrari still needs to do to refine its technical processes and decision-making structure.
Driver performances and team management
Charles Leclerc emerged as the more incisive driver, consistently extracting the maximum from a car that was often inferior to its main rivals. Lewis Hamilton, in his first season in red, endured a difficult period of adaptation, finishing the year without a podium and struggling in qualifying, underlining the complexity of his relationship with the SF-25.
The internal comparison clearly showed Charles Leclerc being more comfortable in maximizing the car’s performance, while Hamilton suffered from the structural limits of the project, despite occasional flashes of the class and racecraft that have defined his legendary career.
Overall assessment
The final balance of the 2025 season must be considered negative when measured against the initial expectations. The technical gap to the top teams was never fully closed, performance remained inconsistent between qualifying and race pace, strategic and regulatory errors were costly, Hamilton’s debut proved more difficult than anticipated, and driver management often appeared under significant pressure.
Ferrari frequently accumulated points only sporadically and never managed to establish itself as a regular contender for race wins, confirming that the season was more transitional than genuinely competitive.
Realistic expectations for 2026
The 2026 season will represent a true crossroads for Ferrari. The new regulatory cycle will partially reset the competitive order, offering a major opportunity for redemption while also demanding a deep technical reorganisation.
The driver pairing remains a clear strength, but the main challenge will be transforming the potential shown by the SF-25 into consistent performance without repeating the limitations already exposed in 2025. Ferrari enters the future with experience and valuable knowledge gained, yet the next chapter remains entirely unwritten. The 2026 season could finally determine whether the Scuderia is ready to return to fighting consistently at the front of Formula 1 or remain trapped in a prolonged phase of transition.
The success of the 2026 project therefore hinges on Maranello’s ability to eliminate the operational “unforced errors” that plagued their 2025 campaign. If the team can provide Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton with a stable platform from race one, the dream of a world title may finally move from a promise to a reality.
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