As usual, Ferrari struggled significantly in the later stages of the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix, demonstrating once again the difficulties the team has faced in consistently extracting the maximum performance from the SF-25. The qualifying session had already been far from optimal, meaning that the team’s two drivers, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, could not get anywhere near the peak potential of their cars. Excessive understeer, combined with incorrect tire usage and management throughout the qualifying and early race periods, rendered it effectively impossible for either Ferrari driver to mount a serious challenge at the front of the grid. It was another day of disappointment for the Scuderia, a recurring theme in this part of the season. We are well aware that attempting to climb back up the order at the Marina Bay Street Circuit is never an easy task due to the narrow, technical nature of the track and the high probability of traffic and incidents. On top of that, thermal degradation of both tires and brakes is a critical factor in Singapore and must be carefully monitored and managed at all times in order to avoid compromising performance.
Charles Leclerc rockets off
Rain had fallen prior to the start of the Grand Prix, which further complicated the half-hour window that all Formula 1 teams were given to complete their final checks and adjustments to car setup before the formation lap. All cars initially ran on intermediate tires, given the damp conditions, but as the track gradually dried, it became clear that the race would begin on slick tires, necessitating a last-minute adaptation in strategy. Within Ferrari, the usual pre-race checks were carried out thoroughly: the power unit was examined for any signs of abnormal behavior, the gearbox was checked to ensure flawless shifting throughout the tight Marina Bay circuit, the braking system was thoroughly assessed given the track’s heavy braking zones, and the hybrid system was verified to guarantee optimal energy recovery and deployment. Everything appeared to be in proper working order, with both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton ready to begin the formation lap and take up their starting positions.
When the lights went out, Ferrari opted for medium compound tires, a decision that was consistent with the team’s strategic outlook. Charles Leclerc had a strong launch off the line, immediately gaining two positions in the opening corners through decisive acceleration and precision driving. In contrast, Lewis Hamilton adopted a more cautious approach in the early stages, which led him to lose a position to his teammate, reflecting a strategy that prioritized tire and brake conservation in the opening laps. After only three laps, the race entered a seemingly calm and controlled phase. From the team’s pit wall, the usual instructions were sent to both drivers, advising them on the optimal management of tires, brake systems, and energy recovery, with particular attention to the delicate and high-stress sections of the circuit where mistakes are easily punished.
Shortly after the initial laps, Ferrari instructed both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to adopt a lift-and-coast technique in the third sector, a method aimed at controlling internal temperatures and avoiding excessive strain on the power unit and brake system. Lewis Hamilton revealed over the team radio that he had been attempting this strategy since the very first lap, but despite his efforts, he was unable to reduce the gap to Kimi Antonelli, who was running ahead in the middle of the field. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc maintained a consistent pace in the Australian’s slipstream, remaining close to Oscar Piastri’s McLaren. The British driver was specifically instructed to lift off in certain sections of the track—approximately fifty meters in length—to prevent excessive overheating caused by repeated engine and brake stress over the course of the race’s opening laps.
Around lap ten, tire management became a major point of discussion over the team radio. Both drivers were advised to preserve their tire life, particularly in the more demanding corners and braking zones, and to avoid pushing too hard in critical sections that could cause accelerated wear or thermal degradation. At this point, the engineers requested the first real-time update from the car systems, a critical step that allowed the team to monitor a wide range of parameters, including tire temperatures, brake performance, and energy recovery efficiency. This represented the classic equilibrium phase of the first stint at the Singapore Grand Prix, where teams play a delicate balancing act, waiting for the optimal timing of the first pit stop in order to implement the most effective overall strategy for the race.
Managing the SF-25 proves extraordinarily difficult
Ferrari race engineer Riccardo Adami communicated that the Safety Car window was active, a situation that required careful monitoring. Lewis Hamilton acknowledged the information and slightly increased the gap to Kimi Antonelli to give his car some breathing room and reduce the strain on the braking system. The overall strategy for the team remained Plan A, focusing on maximizing the potential of the medium compound tires while preserving the car’s delicate components. Despite the fact that neither Ferrari driver was running an exceptionally fast pace at this stage, the tires were clearly suffering and showing signs of distress. Charles Leclerc was specifically warned about overheating of the front-left tire and was instructed to increase his use of lift and coast to reduce the strain on the brakes, which were experiencing considerable difficulty under the high braking loads of Marina Bay.
Ignoring this advice would have posed a significant risk to both the driver and the car’s performance. Charles Leclerc had no alternative but to comply and carefully managed his pace to maintain the car’s reliability. On lap 22, Charles finally made his pit stop, as his medium tires had become completely exhausted. For his second stint, he switched to hard compound tires, a more durable option aimed at maintaining consistent performance over a longer period. Upon rejoining the track, Charles found himself behind Nico Hulkenberg, whom he passed without significant difficulty, demonstrating the effectiveness of the hard tires in providing stability and grip. Ferrari’s technical director, Bozzi, communicated a lap time reference of 1:36.5 to both drivers, a benchmark designed to ensure steady pace and consistent tire and brake management.
Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, requested increased radio communication from the team to better manage his race. Three laps later, he made his pit stop, which unfortunately was not executed as quickly as planned. Like Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton switched to hard compound tires, and a minor adjustment was made to the front wing of his SF-25 to optimize front-end downforce and improve balance under braking and cornering. Upon rejoining, Lewis Hamilton found himself behind Nico Hulkenberg as well, with a stop slightly longer than anticipated affecting his overall track position.
The Ferrari cars attempt to push
After the sequence of pit stops, Kimi Antonelli began appearing in the mirrors of Charles Leclerc, signaling a clear threat from the Mercedes driver. Even though Charles did not have immediate competitors directly ahead of him, he continued to receive radio instructions from Bryan Bozzi, reminding him to maintain the lift-and-coast technique, which remained a tedious but necessary part of managing the SF-25. Multiple Ferrari cars had already struggled with brake overheating during the race, and the SF-25 was once again pushing the limits of what the braking system could handle. Lifting off in every braking zone over distances of 25–30 meters highlighted just how sensitive the car had become under the extreme thermal conditions of Singapore.
By the halfway point of the race, the sense of frustration and helplessness within Ferrari’s garage became even more apparent. Both SF-25 cars were running without the ability to fight for top positions, while Kimi Antonelli skillfully inserted himself between them, taking advantage of Ferrari’s compromised pace. Brake management remained a particularly critical issue for Charles Leclerc, who continuously reported over the radio that he needed to handle the brakes with extreme delicacy to prevent building up excessive energy that could lead to overheating or failure. Two laps later, on lap 40, the team determined that the lift-off strategy was theoretically no longer necessary, as conditions had stabilized slightly.
At this point, it appeared that increasing the pace was finally possible. The tires had reached their optimal operating window, providing the ideal balance of grip and durability, and brake temperatures were less concerning. Lewis Hamilton attempted to take advantage of this window to reduce the gap to Kimi Antonelli, while Charles Leclerc also raised his pace. However, the gap to Oscar Piastri’s McLaren was approximately 14 seconds, a deficit extremely difficult to recover without a fortunate incident or safety car intervention.
Embarrassing brakes for Ferrari
On lap 44, Lewis Hamilton entered the pits to fit soft tires, a move intended to assess whether the additional grip could allow the Ferrari to close in on Kimi Antonelli and potentially challenge him for position. The British driver immediately demonstrated remarkable pace, becoming the fastest on track and effectively running around fifteen laps at qualifying-like intensity. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc remained on hard tires and, as expected, returned to employing lift-and-coast combined with careful slowing in certain corners to preserve tire life.
Five laps later, Kimi Antonelli overtook Charles Leclerc with relative ease. Mercedes had significantly more pace, and the overtaking maneuver for sixth place required little effort. The Monegasque driver expressed clear frustration over the radio, sharply criticizing the continued need for lift-and-coast, which continued to penalize the SF-25’s potential performance. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton continued to advance rapidly, with the team orchestrating a position swap to allow him to pass Charles Leclerc.
For Charles Leclerc, the race was effectively over at this stage, while Lewis Hamilton’s focus remained on chasing Kimi Antonelli. However, at the critical moment, the brakes on Lewis Hamilton’s SF-25 reached a dangerous level of heat, forcing him to slow down considerably. Two very slow laps followed, which fortunately did not compromise Fernando Alonso’s position, as the Spaniard remained comfortably ahead at the finish line.
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