Despite encouraging signs during free practice sessions at the 2025 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Scuderia Ferrari ultimately left the race weekend with underwhelming results. Lewis Hamilton finished in fourth place, while Charles Leclerc crossed the line in a distant fourteenth position, marking a significant step back from the Monegasque driver’s strong performance at the previous round in Austria.
Charles Leclerc arrived at Silverstone with high confidence, buoyed by Ferrari’s clear improvements and his recent return to the podium. During Friday and Saturday morning’s practice sessions, the SF-25 had shown promising pace, both over a single lap and in race simulations. However, mistakes during the qualifying session—committed by both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton—prevented the two Scuderia Ferrari drivers from starting the race from the front rows of the grid. To make matters worse, the unpredictable weather on race day added an extra layer of difficulty.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton took different approaches in terms of race strategy. The Monegasque opted to pit immediately after the formation lap, switching from intermediate tyres to slicks in anticipation of a drying track. The Briton, in contrast, stuck to the pre-race decision and stayed out on intermediates. Unfortunately for Charles Leclerc, the strategic gamble did not pay off. What had seemed like an opportunity for redemption quickly turned into a nightmare, as his strategy left him vulnerable and out of contention.
Progress in the drivers’ standings
Despite the disappointing outcome, renowned Formula 1 commentator Carlo Vanzini of Sky Sport F1 offered a cautiously optimistic take on Ferrari’s weekend performance. Reflecting on the race at Silverstone, Vanzini noted that Ferrari still managed to limit the damage compared to other teams: “Ferrari comes out of this better than those destroyed by McLaren,” he commented. “McLaren is demolishing the competition, but once again, Ferrari was the least bad among them. They even managed to extend their lead slightly in the Constructors’ Championship, remaining in second place overall.”
Still, Vanzini acknowledged the uphill battle that remains: “Ferrari is now being doubled in points by McLaren—460 to 222. It’s a 12-point lead over Mercedes. Red Bull, running effectively with only one driver, is sitting at 172 points. But at least Ferrari is still ahead of both Mercedes and Red Bull. It seems more consistent than Mercedes and even more consistent than Red Bull, which is relying on a single driver.”
A new issue emerges for Charles Leclerc
The floor upgrade introduced on the SF-25 at the Austrian Grand Prix gave Ferrari a noticeable step forward in performance. At Silverstone, the Italian team appeared to be on par with McLaren during dry conditions, particularly in free practice. However, as the track became wet, Ferrari struggled to maintain the same competitiveness. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Vanzini remarked, “On a dry track, Ferrari has closed the gap. Let’s see what happens at Spa when the new rear end arrives. That update should complete the mechanical overhaul the team has been working on.”
Throughout the 2025 Formula 1 season, Ferrari has been battling several technical issues, including brake inconsistencies and problems related to ride height. However, Charles Leclerc now appears to be facing a new challenge on his SF-25.
“Ferrari has encountered yet another issue—one that Charles Leclerc himself mentioned,” Vanzini explained. “He said: ‘I’m still dealing with the same problem, but it’s not easy to solve. We’ll try to fix it.’ This new issue has nothing to do with the suspension or ride height, and it’s not related to the braking system either. It’s a different type of problem that arises in the corners. It’s something that needs further analysis.”
With the next major development coming soon and the hope of solving these technical problems, Ferrari continues its quest for consistency and competitiveness. However, as Leclerc’s situation shows, challenges remain—and not all of them have easy fixes.
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