Scuderia Ferrari secured a strong third place in qualifying at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix, the thirteenth round of the Formula 1 World Championship. Although the race weekend at Spa-Francorchamps began with some difficulties for the Italian team, a notable recovery was observed thanks to setup changes that delivered improved performance to the Ferrari SF-25 single-seater. The recent package of upgrades has proven effective by enabling a less extreme compromise in the car’s balance, ultimately improving its overall competitiveness. The detailed analysis below confirms the progress made by the Italian squad at the Belgian circuit.
Charles Leclerc Uses More Hybrid Energy in Qualifying
One of the key changes introduced by Ferrari was an adjustment in the car’s setup that allowed the SF-25 to perform better through the middle sector of the Spa track. This modification improved how the car operates in medium-speed corners, although traction remained an area that did not reach optimal levels. Charles Leclerc employed the recovered hybrid power in a different way compared to previous sessions, opting for an “unbalanced” use of energy favoring the straights. This strategy helped him achieve the fastest sector times in some areas, even though it cost him slightly on the long straight leading into the famous Bus Stop chicane.
During the two heavy braking zones in the first sector, Charles Leclerc adopted a similar braking approach to what he used on Friday, delaying his brake input. In contrast, Max Verstappen made a mistake at the first braking point of the Source corner, suffering from oversteer on corner exit that caused him to lose position to the Ferrari driver. The Dutch driver braked too early and, realizing he was “too short,” lifted off the brake pedal too quickly. This led to missing the optimal racing line and, consequently, destabilizing the balance of his Red Bull RB21.
Red Bull’s Setup Choices and Weather Considerations
Red Bull Racing had configured Verstappen’s RB21 with a higher downforce setup, also taking into account the forecasted weather conditions for race day. However, Max Verstappen himself admitted in interviews that the car lacked balance, a problem stemming from a softer mechanical setup that prevented the aerodynamic package from working perfectly. In contrast, McLaren opted for a more coherent strategy by sacrificing some aerodynamic downforce in favor of stiffening their car, which provided better overall mechanical grip.
Ferrari Shows Improvement in Mid-Corner Speed
Mercedes, meanwhile, took a different approach. Their setup for George Russell’s W15 was designed to maximize efficiency on the straights by reducing aerodynamic drag even further. The trade-off is evident in sector times: Russell was the slowest through medium-speed corners but gained a speed advantage on the main straights of the circuit. Charles Leclerc demonstrated improved minimum cornering speeds compared to Friday’s sessions but lost nearly half a second to McLaren’s Lando Norris in the most technical parts of the track. The Monegasque driver’s main weaknesses were corner exits at turns 6, 8, and 13.
Throughout qualifying, Leclerc experimented with adjusting his racing line and driving style, aiming to be more conservative on braking to improve corner exits. This approach paid off in turn 9, where he was able to accelerate out of the corner comparably to his rivals. Additionally, compared to the Sprint qualifying session, Charles Leclerc carried 4 km/h more speed through the Pouhon corner, an important fast left-hander.
This increased confidence allowed Charles Leclerc to keep his foot down longer, maintaining momentum. Verstappen was the only driver able to take turn 10 at full throttle, and with his higher downforce setup, he managed to reduce the time gap to McLaren. However, the reigning world champion reported significant understeer in turn 9 during Q3 due to an incorrect adjustment made during his tyre warm-up lap.
George Russell Fastest on the Straights
The final sector of the track is Mercedes’ strength. Thanks to a very low-downforce setup, George Russell maintained an average speed 4 km/h higher than Verstappen and Norris on the straight leading to the Bus Stop chicane. The English driver also demonstrated a conservative approach entering the Bus Stop, which helped him achieve good traction on the final straight.
Charles Leclerc, as mentioned, recorded a lower top speed due to his strategic choice to use more battery energy on the first straight. Ferrari’s SF-25 benefits from excellent aerodynamic efficiency, supported by a new rear wing design. Despite gaining speed through the technical sections, the car did not lose top-end velocity, helping Leclerc secure third place on the grid for today’s race.
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