The start of 2025 has been a nightmare for the Scuderia, which, after the debacle in Melbourne, leaves Shanghai with a resounding zero in the points column. This time, overall performance was there to some extent (though still not on McLaren’s level), but the Maranello team pays the price for a double misjudgment, confirmed by the FIA’s double disqualification following the usual post-race checks.
Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton lose their respective fifth and sixth positions due to the conditions of their SF-25s, found to be non-compliant with the Sporting Regulations: Leclerc’s car was deemed underweight by one kilogram compared to the required 800, while Hamilton’s car showed excessive wear on the plank—the skid plate under the floor—measured at 8.5 millimeters against the minimum allowed threshold of 9.
A day to forget
Sunday did not start in the best way, with a collision between the two drivers at Turn 2 on the first lap. The contact between Hamilton’s right rear and Leclerc’s front wing cost the Monegasque his endplate, later estimated by the team to result in a 20-30 point loss of downforce (around 3-4 tenths per lap).
The damage did not have too many consequences, as Leclerc managed to maintain a significantly better pace than his teammate in the first part of the race, enough for the team to swap their positions. From that point on, the downforce loss became an “advantage” on the straights but a clear disadvantage in fast corners like Turn 13, which leads onto the back straight. This explains Leclerc’s struggles when, after catching George Russell, he was never able to mount an attack for the third position occupied by the Briton at the time.
Beyond that, Ferrari’s strategy also deserves scrutiny. With Charles Leclerc, the team missed the opportunity to undercut the Mercedes driver, while on Lewis Hamilton’s side, they opted for a two-stop strategy (the only top driver to do so). This resulted in losing position to Max Verstappen, a risk the engineers had anticipated, but they were later caught off guard by the Dutchman’s pace. Instead of suffering from tire degradation, Max Verstappen maintained a consistent rhythm, allowing him to overtake Charles Leclerc and secure fourth place.
Hindsight is always easy, but had the seven-time Formula 1 world champion stayed out, he might have at least delayed Max Verstappen’s charge towards his teammate, potentially losing fifth place but preserving fourth. These are all hypothetical discussions that, in light of the double disqualification, are ultimately irrelevant, yet still worth noting.
An immediate reset needed for Suzuka
Ferrari remains stuck at the 17 points earned in Melbourne a week ago and now sits 61 points behind McLaren, the undisputed leader of the Constructors’ standings. However, closing the gap in the standings should be the least of Maranello’s concerns right now; more than ever, they must understand their mistakes to prevent them from recurring.
In two weeks, the team will head to Japan for the Suzuka race, a circuit that will reveal a lot (if not everything) about Ferrari’s 2025 ambitions. Historically, the Japanese track is a crucial test for single-seaters, especially regarding aerodynamic efficiency. Unlocking the full potential of the SF-25 will be essential, as Ferrari currently finds itself trailing not only Andrea Stella’s team but also Mercedes and Red Bull.
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