Scuderia Ferrari seemed to have the necessary potential, but the Italian Formula 1 team was ultimately unable to convert it into results. In the world of Formula 1, this kind of outcome is not uncommon, especially when a team is playing catch-up and the car still suffers from ongoing issues. Starting from the third row on the grid is a tough pill to swallow, particularly for Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc, who was extremely frustrated over team radio after making a mistake between Turns 16 and 17. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton also did not appear happy with his result, although he remained noticeably calmer in comparison. It was unfortunately a cold shower for the Maranello-based squad, especially considering that it genuinely looked as though the Ferrari SF-25 had the potential to achieve a surprise performance in qualifying.
Without doubt, on this particular circuit, the Ferrari engineers and technicians had managed to find an excellent balance during Friday’s free practice sessions. The initial direction taken in setting up the car proved convincing from the start. Similarly, the subsequent experimental changes followed by multiple refinements seemed to be working well. Compared to Friday, the Maranello team made a conscious decision to preserve the setup as much as possible for qualifying, avoiding major alterations to the car’s core performance areas. In fact, during the third free practice session, the Italian engineers had successfully addressed the issues faced in the slow-speed corners of the first sector.
One of the recurring problems affecting the SF-25 is its lack of rotation, a trait that unfortunately appears to be deeply ingrained in the DNA of this Italian Formula 1 car. No matter how many new floor upgrades the team brings, the chronic understeer remains an ever-present obstacle that needs to be managed somehow. This limitation becomes particularly evident in the more technical, low-speed sections of the track. Mechanically, something failed to work as expected, as the situation at lower speeds significantly deteriorated. Simply watching the onboard footage reveals how both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were frequently forced to make corrections on the steering wheel.
However, another major shortcoming was the car’s mid-corner speed and overall momentum, especially in Sector 2, which had previously been considered one of the SF-25’s key strengths and areas where it could gain time on rivals. The issue appears to be the result of a combination of two closely related factors: lower ambient and track temperatures, and tyre performance. The grip level of the Italian Formula 1 cars was no longer optimal under these conditions, which heavily impacted the entire qualifying session. Throughout the session on Saturday afternoon, it was evident that tyre activation was not ideal, meaning the tyres were not reaching their optimal working window at the right moment.
There are specific issues within the SF-25 that the Maranello team has been unable to resolve, leading to a cascade of performance-related complications. Charles Leclerc himself mentioned this after qualifying, and while speaking to the media, he seemed notably unmotivated and subdued. The Monegasque driver referred to old problems that continue to linger—issues that, according to him, cannot be publicly discussed. He described them as “weird problems” but reassured that a solution has already been identified. There is also another problem, one that he had never mentioned before, which remains unspoken as well because, in his own words, “it’s better that way.” Still, Charles Leclerc expressed hope that a solution will arrive soon.
To end the discussion on Ferrari’s performance, it is worth pointing out that race pace appears to be promising. And it is precisely this factor that makes the result even more frustrating, as starting further back in the dirty air of other cars will make the race significantly more difficult, completely changing the outlook and potential strategy for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
McLaren also chose not to make significant setup changes to its MCL39 for qualifying yesterday, a strategy confirmed directly by team CEO Zak Brown. The British team’s Formula 1 car once again demonstrated an exceptionally strong front end, allowing the drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, to construct their lap times effectively through corner entry. This weekend, McLaren introduced an upgrade to the car’s floor, specifically at the edge section. However, making the most of a technical upgrade often requires time for adaptation and integration.
During the high-speed Becketts section in earlier free practice sessions, the McLaren cars were not matching Ferrari’s performance. But after FP3, they managed to close the gap, which was notable given that the SF-25 had shown consistent gains in that part of the circuit. This was surprising, especially considering that the McLaren MCL39 generates more aerodynamic downforce than Ferrari’s SF-25. On Saturday, the Woking-based team managed to put together a solid lap, but at a circuit where aero-mechanical compromise is crucial, they were unable to replicate the performance advantage they showed at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg.
Furthermore, the pole position was snatched away from McLaren by Max Verstappen. However, this result does not appear to have unsettled the McLaren camp too much. The team remains confident in its superior tyre management capabilities. The ease with which the MCL39 maintains optimal tyre temperatures—keeping them within the correct working range—is remarkable. From a technical perspective, these are some of the most refined and well-prepared cars on the grid. On Sunday, the team will be aiming for nothing less than a double podium finish, ideally targeting both first and second place.
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen continued to express dissatisfaction during FP3 about the lack of front-end rotation in his Red Bull RB21. This issue, particularly noticeable in Turn 13—part of the Becketts sequence—was preventing him from fully exploiting the car’s potential. Similar complaints were also evident in Turns 6 and 9, where persistent understeer proved disruptive. The root of the problem appears to lie in a balance shift: as the car’s speed increases, the balance tends to move too far rearward. A likely cause could be an excessively high maximum downforce level, which destabilises the car’s overall equilibrium.
The Dutch driver’s underwhelming performance during FP3 initially raised doubts about whether he could overcome the car’s limitations. In the high-speed sectors, the Red Bull RB21 remained impressively fast, but the instability at mid-corner in fast, sweeping turns prevented Max Verstappen from pushing to the limit. Traction also needed improvement. However, the team made effective setup changes ahead of qualifying, and Max Verstappen did the rest with his exceptional driving skills.
In Sector 1, Max Verstappen delivered a flawless performance and maintained that form into Sector 2, where he expertly navigated the high-speed corners. His deep understanding of tyre behaviour allowed him to activate the compounds perfectly, keeping them in the ideal operating range. While Sector 3 was not exceptional, Verstappen had already built a gap in the earlier sectors. By not making any mistakes and executing a clean final part of the lap, he ensured that the advantage was enough to secure pole position. Hats off to the four-time Formula 1 world champion.
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