Ferrari’s 2025 Formula 1 season hits crisis point as staff lose faith in Fred Vasseur’s leadership
As the 2025 Formula 1 season approaches its conclusion, Scuderia Ferrari finds itself facing the alarming prospect of finishing the year without a single Grand Prix victory — something that has not happened since 2021. Despite entering the campaign with high expectations following an impressive 2024 season, Ferrari’s performance has fallen dramatically short of the mark, leaving fans, engineers, and management questioning where things have gone wrong.
In 2021, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz shared five podium finishes between them, a figure that the current driver pairing has matched in 2025. However, all five podiums this season have been claimed by Leclerc alone, with Lewis Hamilton yet to reach the rostrum in a Grand Prix since joining the Maranello outfit. The seven-time world champion’s best moments so far include his Sprint Race win in China and a third-place finish in the shortened Miami Sprint — results that offered brief relief in an otherwise underwhelming debut campaign in red.
Ferrari struggles to replicate 2024 form
Inside Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters, internal reviews have already begun to understand why the team’s 2025 season has unraveled. Last year, Ferrari came within just 14 points of capturing the Constructors’ Championship — their first potential title since 2008 — but this season, they have slipped well behind the likes of McLaren and Red Bull.
The performance decline has inevitably led to growing scrutiny over team principal Fred Vasseur’s leadership and technical direction. Although the former Alfa Romeo team boss signed a multi-year contract extension earlier this year, several members of the Ferrari workforce are reportedly unhappy with key development decisions made during the season. These choices, intended to unlock greater performance from the SF-25 single-seater, have instead left the team stagnating.
Staff discontent over Ferrari’s failed suspension update
According to a report from The Race, Ferrari’s internal atmosphere has turned increasingly tense. The outlet described the team’s situation as “less encouraging” than that of rivals Red Bull and Mercedes, both of whom have recently found improvements in car performance despite preparing for the 2026 regulation overhaul.
While Red Bull and Mercedes continued introducing aerodynamic refinements throughout the year, Ferrari made the controversial choice to halt front wing development after new flexing regulations were introduced at the Spanish Grand Prix. Instead, under the guidance of Fred Vasseur and technical director Loïc Serra, the team shifted its focus entirely to a revised rear suspension system — a decision that many within the organization now view as a major strategic misstep.
Unfortunately, the newly developed rear suspension has yielded no measurable performance gain. Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are said to be frustrated by the lack of progress, with insiders suggesting that the drivers had pushed for aerodynamic upgrades, such as a revised floor package that was expected for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix but never materialized. The absence of that update has reportedly been a major point of contention among engineers and senior staff.
Sources close to the team indicate that Fred Vasseur’s decision to prioritize the suspension concept over aerodynamic development has created visible disappointment within Ferrari’s technical department. Many employees feel the SF-25 has now reached its performance ceiling, leaving the drivers unable to fight for podium finishes. Instead, both Leclerc and Hamilton appear destined to battle for lower points positions as the season winds down.
Internal frustration grows as pressure mounts on Fred Vasseur
The mounting dissatisfaction at Ferrari has not gone unnoticed in the paddock. Several reports have already linked the team to Christian Horner, amid speculation that Ferrari’s leadership could be evaluating future alternatives to Vasseur. While the Frenchman’s contract extension was meant to bring stability, the disappointing development path of the SF-25 has reignited doubts about his long-term suitability to lead the Scuderia.
Some within Ferrari believe that the decision to focus narrowly on suspension development reflects a lack of flexibility in adapting to the competitive realities of the 2025 grid. Red Bull’s RB21 and McLaren’s MCL39 have demonstrated consistent progress through steady aerodynamic refinement, while Ferrari’s approach appears to have plateaued — a painful contrast for a team once known for technical innovation.
Mario Andretti questions Fred Vasseur’s leadership direction
The criticism has also extended beyond Ferrari’s own walls. Formula 1 legend Mario Andretti has reportedly expressed doubts about the French manager’s ability to return Ferrari to the top. He suggested that the team’s current leadership seems to have lost strategic focus and that the Scuderia risks squandering another generation of talent if it fails to regroup ahead of the 2026 regulations.
Andretti’s comments echo a growing sentiment among the Italian media and Ferrari’s passionate tifosi, who have now waited nearly two decades for a championship triumph. For many fans, the 2026 regulation change represents Ferrari’s best opportunity to reset and re-establish itself as a title contender. Any further missteps could deepen the crisis surrounding Fred Vasseur’s tenure.
Uncertain future for Ferrari’s driver lineup
Compounding the uncertainty is the situation surrounding Ferrari’s drivers. Charles Leclerc, though under contract, is reportedly exploring future options elsewhere on the grid, frustrated by the lack of progress. Meanwhile, speculation continues over Lewis Hamilton’s future, with the British driver potentially considering retirement after 2026 if the team cannot deliver a competitive package.
If Ferrari fails to retain either driver, Vasseur’s position would become increasingly untenable. The loss of Leclerc, in particular, would be a devastating blow to the team’s long-term project, especially after years of effort invested in building the SF-25 around his driving style. Fans and analysts alike are beginning to question whether the leadership in Maranello can stabilize the team before another major internal shake-up becomes inevitable.
As things stand, Ferrari’s 2025 season looks set to end not with victory celebrations, but with another chapter of disappointment. The coming months will be decisive for Fred Vasseur — a man now under immense pressure to prove that Ferrari can once again be a genuine championship force in Formula 1.
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