Ferrari showed an enigmatic performance during FP1 at the Brazilian Grand Prix, the 21st round of the Formula 1 season. The question now is what type of execution the team will present in qualifying, given that the overall balance seems reasonably good. The main problem remains top speed: Lewis Hamilton is running with higher downforce, while Charles Leclerc, with lower incidence, also struggles to reach competitive straight-line speed. The ride height setup still needs to be fully understood. In the end, Lewis secured 11th place, while Charles will start 8th in the Sprint Race.
Brazil GP, Q1: SF-25 struggles from the start
The Modena-based cars returned to the track after the session began, equipped with a set of yellow-banded Pirelli tires for the first run. The main curiosity was how the cars would behave on this compound, which hadn’t been tested in the only previous free practice session. Ferrari’s drivers warmed up the tires, set the cars in push mode, and then went full throttle. Initial sector analysis immediately showed a significant gap.
Almost half a second behind, a substantial margin on such a short track, signaling that the car is struggling to find its rhythm and showing behavior similar to that observed in FP1. After completing a double cool-down lap to collect feedback—especially from Lewis—to fine-tune the car’s handling, the team noted difficulties both entering corners and during acceleration.
During the second attempt, the Ferraris did not show any significant improvements. While the cars remained generally drivable, they felt slow. The lap times were not enough to guarantee passage into Q2 on the first run, making a third attempt necessary after a brief tire cool-down lap. In this run, the gap to the front increased by another two tenths, highlighting the evident struggle.
Brazil GP, Q2: Lewis fails to reach Q3
Onboard analysis revealed some rear instability, which naturally complicated the drivers’ work. However, the performance gap wasn’t only due to this: issues were noted both exiting and entering corners, with speed through the turns suffering as well. The second run used the red-banded Pirellis, as required by FIA regulations.
After the lap, the cars briefly returned to the garage for a quick adjustment to front-end aerodynamic load. As often seen this season, Lewis Hamilton opted for higher rear downforce. The Italian cars then returned to the track on a fresh set of yellow-banded tires. The session was complicated by traffic, and both drivers reported difficulties.
The Monaco-born driver lost control in the second sector, spinning at Turn 2, but fortunately without damaging the car. Despite this, his second flying lap didn’t improve his position, though his previous time was sufficient to clear the Q2 cut-off. Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, could not find the right balance and ended his qualifying, unable to produce a competitive lap time.
Brazil GP, Q3: Ferrari lacks pace
In the final qualifying round, only Charles Leclerc went out. The Monegasque started fairly calmly, knowing that his car was not competitive. Nevertheless, he pushed to the maximum to complete a perfect lap and secure a strong position. Unfortunately, the plan did not succeed: approaching the final corner, the extra grip from the Soft tires caused him to misjudge the mid-corner line.
As a result, he had to delay his throttle application, which significantly impacted his performance. Charles Leclerc was visibly frustrated, complaining that he could never get the trajectory right in that section. His radio captured his rather colorful reaction, while onboard analysis confirmed that the entry phase remained problematic and required a greater vertical push.
After increasing front-end settings by five clicks, he returned to the track. Despite maximum effort, the lap time did not improve, with Charles Leclerc reporting issues caused by Lance Stroll in Turn 1. Preliminary analysis indicates that the current ride height does not generate enough downforce, forcing the Italian car to slow in the corners. Ferrari confirmed its lack of pace, unable to compete for the positions that matter.
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