The Austrian Grand Prix at Zeltweg has long been considered almost a home race for Ferrari, given its proximity to Italy. And what if Austria is where Ferrari turns things around? There are no certainties in Formula 1, especially in a season where gaps between drivers are minimal, but this is the strongest, calmest, and most composed Ferrari we have seen so far in 2025. With floor updates delivering clear improvements, Charles Leclerc (P2) and Lewis Hamilton (P4) were able to extract the best from the SF-25. That said, the car still isn’t enough to fight on equal terms, Charles Leclerc’s own words, with the outstanding McLaren, which secured pole with Lando Norris.
On paper, the orange cars have the upper hand for the race, but with Charles Leclerc starting alongside Lando Norris, anything can happen, especially at Zeltweg, a thrilling rollercoaster where the Monegasque driver has a history of pushing to the limit. Ferrari’s hopes rest on strong long-run simulations, though race-day factors like heat and close battles will play a key role, particularly in tyre management. The Ferrari still suffers from understeer or oversteer depending on the corner, while the McLaren seems nearly flawless.
Lewis Hamilton, starting fourth, which is his best grid slot since joining Ferrari, excluding the China Sprint, could be Ferrari’s strategic weapon if the race turns chaotic or tactical. The team made good use of the final free practice session in order to prepare for qualifying and was ultimately rewarded, also thanks to a yellow flag caused by Pierre Gasly’s spin, which compromised the final laps of both Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen. The Australian remains third and won’t play a supporting role, while the four-time world champion starts seventh, visibly frustrated by a Red Bull that looked promising on Friday but faded—bad news for someone still chasing the title. Mercedes was largely absent, with George Russell in an anonymous P5, continuing its up-and-down ride this season.
In short, it is a promising Ferrari, finally. And free, for now, from the criticism that is often hard to accept but naturally follows when results fall short. So far, McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes have all taken victories. Is it normal that Ferrari hasn’t? Absolutely not. But it is also unnecessary to overreact when someone points out the obvious. If Frederic Vasseur were a journalist, he would draw the same conclusions. It’s not a disaster, it’s part of the story of a championship that turned out to be far more difficult than expected for the Maranello team.
There is still time, as long as Ferrari avoids getting distracted by external noise, noise that has always been part of the Maranello team’s reality and that Enzo Ferrari himself often defused with a sense of irony. What this Ferrari is missing today is a smile. Could that smile come from Zeltweg?
Leave a Reply