Sixth and seventh place for Ferrari in the first qualifying session of the Miami Grand Prix weekend, the sixth round of the 2025 Formula 1 championship. Yet another clearly underwhelming result in Formula 1. But Ferrari could not do much more on Friday, as the base setup was not optimal and even the adjustments made during the first free practice session did not eliminate the limits of the Italian car. So once again, it was about recovering ground in the 100 kilometers where making up positions on those ahead could be easier due to the rain.
The first major news is Charles Leclerc’s crash in the laps leading up to the starting grid. The Monegasque driver unfortunately loses the SF-25 car under braking and crashes into the barriers. The car is too damaged and, considering the little time available, Charles Leclerc is forced to watch the Sprint Race from the pit wall. Blue-striped Pirelli tyres are fitted to the only Ferrari left in the Miami Sprint race.
These are the extreme wet tyres, used due to the heavy downpour that hit the American track. All the necessary instructions are given by his race engineer Riccardo Adami, in order to advise on the behavior to adopt, especially in the first laps. In these conditions, with a slippery surface, you start in second gear to avoid wheelspin as much as possible.
However, Race Direction decided to run two laps behind the Safety Car before determining what to do. In the meantime, the British driver complains about poor visibility, a scenario in which his race engineer reminds him to work on the tyres. At the end of the two laps, the red flag is shown. The stewards have decided to halt the race for the time being, as there is too much water on the track. Everyone returns to the pit lane.
About 20 minutes later, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion gets back into the Ferrari. Apparently, the rain has stopped. Lewis Hamilton and Riccardo Adami talk over the radio to best manage the car. They discuss brake balance and differential mid-corner. It is essential to handle the changing conditions to avoid damaging lock-ups and keep the car rotating. Again, two more laps are completed behind the Safety Car to assess how the race should resume.
Standing start: this is the decision from Race Direction. Lewis Hamilton maintains his starting position and does not attempt any attacks on his rivals. Behind him, it’s Alex Albon who becomes quite threatening, forcing the Briton to repeatedly check his mirrors to avoid leaving any space for his Thai-British compatriot.
Tyre activation at that moment is anything but easy, especially for a Ferrari that tends to put less energy into the tyres. Lewis Hamilton immediately complains about poor rotation, unable to carry the desired speed through the middle of corners. Traction is also problematic due to a rear axle still outside the target temperature range—too cold.
It must be said that on the more technical sections of the track, car number 44 is visibly struggling. Meanwhile, the sky clears and rays of sun begin to warm the track surface. The tyres, now overheating, are reported by Lewis Hamilton, who is told to move off the racing line on the straights to help cool them down.
The tyre crisis becomes clear just past the halfway mark of the race. Overheating is occurring on the rear axle, while the front remains cold. Driving the car in these conditions becomes really difficult. At that point, Ferrari takes a risk by pitting early to fit dry tyres. Mediums had been suggested by the pit wall, but Lewis Hamilton opts instead for Softs.
Once back on track, the British driver finds himself in 15th place with only five laps to go. However, the call to the pits turns out to be excellent, allowing for a fantastic pace. The extra grip offered by the Softs is fully exploited by Lewis Hamilton, who pushes extremely hard and is rewarded with a strong comeback over just a few laps with his SF-25.
With three laps to go, the Briton is even up to third place. Shortly after, however, a Safety Car intervention caused by Fernando Alonso’s retirement ends the Briton’s charge. In practice, the 100-kilometer mini race ends there. Big applause is due for Ferrari’s superb strategy, and it is worth highlighting again how Lewis Hamilton chose the Softs, rejecting the Mediums that would not have given him the same performance advantage.
— see video above —
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