Ferrari’s struggles in the F1 Dutch GP hide a different priority for Maranello. Ferrari appeared to struggle on the first day of the Dutch Grand Prix.

F1: Ferrari is not in trouble in the Netherlands, the team’s focus is elsewhere

Ferrari seemed to be struggling on the opening day of the Dutch Grand Prix, but according to some, the reason goes beyond pure on-track performance. After Charles Leclerc’s pole position in Budapest, very few expected to see Ferrari facing such difficulties during Friday at Zandvoort. The Scuderia, particularly in Free Practice 1, showed that there are several areas needing improvement ahead of qualifying and the race in order to stay within reach of the frontrunners.

Some believe Ferrari’s issues are deliberate

According to others, however, there might be a clear reason behind the problems experienced by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton during Friday practice. “At Ferrari they are not even trying to figure out what’s wrong this weekend. Inside those garages, the focus is only on Monza, because that’s where they want to shine and perform well,” said Jacques Villeneuve in an interview with Sky Sports.

The former Formula 1 world champion explained that at Maranello the attention has already shifted towards preparing the package they want to bring to the Italian Grand Prix. The home race, if capped with a victory, could completely reshape a season that has so far been fairly disappointing for the team and its fans.

The mystery of Ferrari’s special Monza livery

This also helps explain the secrecy surrounding the livery with which the SF-25 is expected to appear in front of the Tifosi. There are strong rumours of a design inspired by the Ferrari with which Niki Lauda won the world championship title, although no official confirmation has been given yet. The potential unveiling at Monza adds further anticipation to a race that could prove pivotal for the Scuderia’s season.