Ferrari once again fell short in Azerbaijan, earning a performance that highlights a recurring issue for the Scuderia in the 2025 Formula 1 season. This is a score that in the context of Formula 1 would be considered insufficient, and unfortunately it is a type of result that Ferrari has experienced too often in recent races. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix served as yet another clear reminder that the SF-25 is a car that remains particularly difficult to understand for engineers and drivers alike, and even more challenging to make perform consistently at a high level under varying race conditions. The Maranello team’s overall competitiveness on the streets of Baku was noticeably below the level required to challenge for podium positions, and despite the usual public statements from team principal Frederic Vasseur about “doing everything correctly and flawlessly,” a series of errors and miscalculations once again emerged during the weekend.
Charles Leclerc and his teammate, whose strategies were closely observed by the team, finished the race in eighth and ninth place, outcomes that stemmed from a disastrous qualifying session followed by a race that lacked any genuine attacking pace or real competitive edge. For Ferrari, this is increasingly a frustrating scenario: a strong car in theory but one that struggles to consistently extract its maximum potential when it matters most on track.
Ferrari splits strategy but ends up with the same result
One of the first major strategic decisions for the race concerned the selection of the tire compound to be used in the opening stint, a choice that is always critical in modern Formula 1. Among the top ten drivers on the grid, Max Verstappen, George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, and Yuki Tsunoda opted to start the race on the Hard compound tires, while several others, including Charles Leclerc and the other midfield runners, elected to begin the Grand Prix on the Medium tires. The effectiveness of these choices depended not only on how each car adapted to the specific tire compound but also on the individual strategy plans that each team had carefully devised in preparation for the race.
The white-marked Pirelli Hard tire provided an opportunity to extend the length of the first stint considerably, which can be advantageous in terms of strategic flexibility. However, it also carried inherent risks, particularly in the event of a Safety Car, which as it happened, was deployed in the very first laps due to Oscar Piastri’s early-race accident. On the main straight of the Baku City Circuit, tire surface temperatures can drop by approximately 40°C in just a few corners. For the Hard tire specifically, restarts after a Safety Car period are significantly more complicated because this tire compound requires a higher operating temperature to function effectively within its optimal performance window.
Ferrari made the decision to split strategies between their two drivers, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, in a manner similar to what Mercedes had done with Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. Charles Leclerc ran on a set of used tires, but with a full fuel load at the start of the race, the Mercedes W16 chassis demonstrated slightly better race pace overall. Among the drivers, George Russell consistently posted the fastest lap times while running the harder compound tire, whereas the Ferrari had a set of used Medium tires. In the first stint, Charles Leclerc found himself stuck behind Yuki Tsunoda, despite showing a higher pace than the Japanese driver’s Racing Bulls car.
The Monegasque driver also endured a period during the race in which the engine’s maximum power output was not fully accessible, further complicating his ability to make progress through the field. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton attempted to remain behind Lando Norris, a scenario that required him to employ a lift-and-coast technique to manage fuel consumption and tire temperatures, particularly keeping brake temperatures under control over at least a 150-meter stretch on certain parts of the circuit. Antonelli was the first driver to make a pit stop, in a move aimed at executing an overcut on Liam Lawson’s Racing Bulls car, who was running ahead at the time.
Even though Liam Lawson rejoined the track two laps later, he managed to maintain track position ahead of Kimi Antonelli. Charles Leclerc pitted a lap after Antonelli, specifically on lap 20, in a strategic maneuver designed both to unlock his race progress and to protect his position from Lando Norris, who had discussed the potential of an undercut attempt on the Monegasque driver over the team radio.
That undercut strategy ultimately never materialized, because the MCL39 driven by Lando Norris would have ended up behind Fernando Alonso and Gabriel Bortoleto, suggesting that the tactical approach would not have been successful. Ferrari’s pit wall also could not afford to attempt an undercut on Lando Norris, who was running on the Hard tire and following a strategy aimed at staying out longer. Attempting to pit earlier in such conditions would have been counterproductive and inconsistent with the strategic logic dictated by tire performance windows and fuel management.
Leclerc avoids Norris’s overcut but loses out on the straight
At the front of the field, Max Verstappen imposed a very strong and consistent pace, lapping approximately four-tenths of a second faster per lap than Carlos Sainz, who was able to maintain second place on Medium tires. The Spanish driver for Williams did not make his pit stop until lap 27, when he switched to Hard tires. His primary race battle was against the two Mercedes drivers, who had already demonstrated superior pace during the early portion of the race and were able to exploit the specific conditions of the Baku track.
The root cause of some of Ferrari’s struggles lies in the track temperatures. During the race, the track surface temperature hovered around 25°C, a relatively moderate condition, while the partial absence of direct sunlight provided an advantage to the Mercedes W16 chassis, which appeared to perform particularly well under these circumstances. On Hard tires, George Russell was able to extend his stint significantly, creating a gap large enough to pit effectively without losing track position to Carlos Sainz. When the pit stops were executed, the strategy paid off, allowing the English driver to overtake the Williams car number 55 and gain a crucial position.
There were also notable examples where the overcut strategy failed entirely. On a one-stop strategy while running Medium tires, Lando Norris attempted to extend his stint as long as possible in the hopes of overcutting multiple drivers ahead. However, his average lap pace was not significantly faster than that of Liam Lawson or Charles Leclerc, reducing the effectiveness of this approach. On lap 38, Lando Norris made his pit stop, which under normal circumstances could have been executed successfully.
Unfortunately for the British driver, a wheel-gun issue during the pit stop caused the right front tire to become temporarily stuck, delaying his departure from the pit lane and ultimately preventing him from emerging ahead of either of the competing drivers. In any case, Lando Norris’s re-entry position would have been uncertain regardless, illustrating how small operational errors can have a disproportionate impact on race outcomes. Environmental conditions, particularly the interplay of track temperature, tire performance, and car balance, once again created significant challenges for Ferrari. Unlike some of their competitors, the Italian team has repeatedly demonstrated difficulty in quickly adapting when the track conditions shift, leaving them unable to find optimal solutions during critical race situations.
Overall, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix highlighted that Ferrari’s SF-25, while theoretically competitive, continues to be a car that presents considerable challenges for both drivers and the Maranello engineers. The inability to consistently extract performance from the car under variable conditions, combined with operational errors and suboptimal strategic decisions, ultimately cost Charles Leclerc and his teammate valuable points in the battle for second place in the Constructors’ championship against Mercedes. The race underscored once again the ongoing struggle of Ferrari in the 2025 Formula 1 season to convert theoretical performance potential into tangible results on the track, emphasizing the importance of improving adaptability, strategic execution, and understanding of tire behavior for the remainder of the season.
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