Ferrari’s impressive race pace highlights costly qualifying performance

Comeback: that’s the word Ferrari wanted to use after the Imola Grand Prix. In Formula 1, anything can often happen, even on circuits where overtaking is difficult. That was more or less the hope for the Prancing Horse, considering that the pace shown in the second free practice session, with a heavy fuel load, appeared almost on par with McLaren’s. In front of their home crowd, trying was the least they could do. Let’s move on to the race report.

Ferrari very fast with Charles
The sun is shining on the banks of the Santerno River. Everything is ready for this seventh round of the world championship, with one thing still to figure out: what type of tyres the Ferrari drivers will use. They might start on harder compounds to stretch the first stint as much as possible, for example, trying to differentiate the strategy between the two red cars. We’ll find out shortly, meanwhile we note a smiling Frederic Vasseur on the starting grid.

Ferrari thus shows up with the weapon of race pace and the need for a careful strategy. The different start compared to the top teams—Mediums for Charles Leclerc, Hards for Lewis Hamilton—is a calculated risk, an attempt to capitalize on a longer first stint and gain an advantage during the pit stop phase. Engines are fired up. The two SF-25 cars take off with the expected setup.

A useful choice to gather valuable data on tyre performance. The Monegasque benefits from better grip off the line, while Lewis, despite a better getaway, gets stuck in traffic and loses a position. Leclerc, instead, gains one. The pace is there. But traffic is heavy, and the DRS trains, as usual, complicate every overtaking move. Hamilton takes three full laps to get past Gabriel Bortoleto and return to P12.

Charles Leclerc, in the meantime, breezes past Hadjar and enters the points zone. From the pit wall comes confirmation: good pace, temperatures under control. Management can wait. But ahead of him is Stroll—slower, but hard to pass. The Monegasque driver gets frustrated, radio chatter starts. On lap 8, the plan changes: it’s time for Plan B.

Charles pits early, Lewis goes long and watches
Charles Leclerc is called into the pits: clean air and a clear track ahead, the perfect chance to push. He comes back out in 17th, but with room to set the pace. Hamilton, on the other hand, extends his first stint: the goal is clear—a shorter final stint on fresh tyres. Leclerc makes the most of the favorable window: in just a few laps he gains five places thanks to others pitting.

Up ahead, he finds Oscar Piastri’s flying McLaren, also on Hards. Car 16’s times are two tenths faster than Verstappen’s. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton goes wheel-to-wheel with Antonelli—who has no DRS—and gets by, placing himself in P6. The Ferrari move is working: after the pit stop cycle, Charles is ahead of Russell, Sainz, Alonso, and Stroll. Lap 20: Leclerc is told to start managing tyres, while Hamilton is advised to adjust engine maps to stabilize the rear of his car. Shortly after, car 16 catches the group. First target: Yuki Tsunoda. He gets past him in two laps but loses two seconds. Meanwhile, the Hamilton garage is already talking about “Plan C.”

Leclerc vents over the radio: same story as before. Traffic. But this time Colapinto pits, and Oliver Bearman doesn’t resist. The Monegasque climbs to P9, with Hülkenberg in his sights. Meanwhile, Hamilton defends P6 from Piastri’s McLaren but has to give up the position to the Australian. Leclerc also gets past Hülkenberg but loses more precious time.

Ahead of him, Hamilton begins to struggle on Hards that have now done over 30 laps. Then luck swings: Ocon stops, Safety Car on track. Lewis can pit at the perfect moment, while his teammate vents again: the rivals timed it right. He too comes in to fit Hards but loses four positions and ends up tenth. Lewis is now seventh.

But Charles reacts immediately: in a single lap he easily gets past Stroll, and then does the same with the other Aston Martin, former Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso. The pace is there—once again, very strong. Hamilton is flying too: so much so that he passes Kimi Antonelli and Isak Hadjar, and grabs fifth place. Now it’s Charles’s turn. But the comeback, as often happens, starts one lap too late.

Indeed, not without effort, he eventually succeeds and takes sixth. Just over two seconds ahead of him is his teammate in the other Italian car. About twenty laps remain in the Grand Prix, and the most realistic goal for both Ferraris now seems to be overtaking Alexander Albon’s Williams.

The discussion between Charles and Bozzi: no late stop
The second twist comes on lap 45: Kimi is forced to retire, and Hamilton takes the chance to change tyres again, fitting a new set of Hards. Charles also intended to change tyres and a long, heated radio argument with Bryan Bozzi begins. He asks if Softs are available, but can’t pit right away because Lewis is in front. The following lap it would have been possible, but in the end, the stop isn’t made.

Now Lewis is in seventh, while Charles gains fourth thanks to Albon’s pit stop. A flurry of radio instructions while the Safety Car takes its time, slowing down the action on track. When it finally leaves, the Monegasque attacks Norris for third, but unsuccessfully. Same for Lewis, who can’t capitalize on the moment to pass Russell’s Mercedes.

A tough battle ignites between the two because Lewis clearly has more pace. Finally, with seven laps to go, he gets past and chases down Albon, who is now strongly pressuring Leclerc. The Monegasque defends as best he can from the Thai-British driver’s attack. The real effort comes just as Lewis joins the fray: three cars, one position up for grabs.

Charles avoids a penalty
With four laps to go, Alex Albon tries again, but Leclerc holds firm with the determination of someone who knows he has to defend every inch. Hamilton takes advantage and passes Alexander, then also gets by Charles, who lets him through, knowing his worn tyres won’t allow him—unlike his teammate—to aim for a more ambitious goal: the podium, chasing Piastri.

But the next lap brings a cold shower: Bryan Bozzi orders the Monegasque driver to give the position back to Albon, as his defense was deemed too aggressive and could incur a penalty. In the end, Hamilton doesn’t manage to pass the McLaren, but he’s very pleased. He greets the Italian crowd warmly. Fourth place—not bad for someone who started twelfth. He also praises the team for a job well done.

Charles Leclerc, instead, is far from happy: luck turned its back on him, even though Ferrari’s comeback met expectations. Without a doubt, if he had also pitted, he could have at least finished ahead of Albon. A tough weekend to interpret for the Scuderia, which showed truly strong race pace. That’s why the real regret is qualifying—because today the Red car was really flying.