Dutch GP: Ferrari making improvements at Zandvoort, but Vasseur highlights key sector issues
The first day of track action at the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix highlighted Ferrari’s ongoing challenges, but team principal Fred Vasseur remained calm. Interviewed by Sky Sport F1 after the free practice sessions, the French manager acknowledged the difficulties faced at Zandvoort while also pointing out encouraging signs of improvement between the morning and afternoon sessions.
“Every year we struggle here, especially in qualifying. This morning we were quite far off, but in the afternoon we got closer, which shows that we are moving in the right direction,” explained the former Sauber team principal. The most problematic area for the SF-25 remains the second sector, where the long, high-speed corners—particularly turns nine and ten—highlight the strengths of rival cars. “We lose a lot there, but we still have solutions to test. We hope tomorrow the weather stays dry so we can evaluate them on track,” he added.
Friday at Zandvoort also saw two unusual incidents for Lewis Hamilton, who spun in both the first and second practice sessions. Paradoxically, Fred Vasseur interpreted these events positively: “It’s good to see Lewis pushing beyond the limit. When the car isn’t perfectly set up, it’s important to be able to rely on both drivers to try to extract the maximum.”
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, the French team principal set goals with necessary realism, leaving illusions behind. “The championship isn’t within our reach, but second place is. We come from a pole position in Hungary, so the performance is there. It will depend heavily on the characteristics of the tracks we encounter in the second part of the season.” – the Ferrari team boss concluded at the end of the second free practice session for the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort.
