FIA faces scrutiny over Ferrari car switch that impacted Lewis Hamilton in Barcelona. Ferrari hoped for a breakthrough at the Spanish GP amid new FIA front wing rules.

Scuderia Ferrari had high hopes of making a significant breakthrough at the Barcelona Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya. Although they did not introduce major upgrades, the team expected their rivals to struggle under new regulations. The FIA had implemented much stricter tests on front wings to eliminate illegal flexibility, and Ferrari anticipated this would mark a turning point in their 2025 season. They predicted teams like McLaren and Mercedes would face setbacks. However, the results proved otherwise, leaving Ferrari disappointed.

McLaren dominated qualifying with a one-two finish, and Oscar Piastri was over three-tenths of a second faster than the next closest competitor outside the team, Max Verstappen. Ferrari managed only fourth-fastest peak performance, with Lewis Hamilton leading in fifth place behind the McLarens, Verstappen’s Red Bull, and George Russell’s Mercedes.

Despite this, Ferrari secured 23 points in the race as Charles Leclerc achieved a second consecutive podium, boosting the team to second place in the Constructors’ Championship. Charles Leclerc admitted that a late safety car played a part in his podium finish, while Lewis Hamilton struggled throughout the race, finishing seventh on full fuel with no chance to challenge the frontrunners.

One notable issue for Ferrari was a late front wing change mandated by the FIA in Spain. Like all teams, Ferrari had to adjust their front wing design to meet the new regulations. According to the Italian media, the FIA ordered Ferrari to modify their front wing between the third practice session and qualifying, which was an unusually late directive. Ferrari made the necessary changes without much difficulty.

Ferrari’s team principal Fred Vasseur revealed that the Briton encountered problems with his car during the final stint of the race, which contributed to an embarrassing moment where he was overtaken by Nico Hulkenberg in a customer Sauber. Lewis Hamilton accepted responsibility for his underwhelming performance.

It remains unclear if the FIA’s late instruction regarding the front wing had any negative impact on Hamilton or the Ferrari team. However, the FIA may need to clarify why such a late intervention occurred deep into the race weekend.

Lewis Hamilton’s radio messages during the race highlighted ongoing front wing difficulties. While Lewis Hamilton outqualified Leclerc for the first time since the Chinese Grand Prix, Leclerc’s pace during the race was in a different league. Ferrari swapped the two drivers early on, with Charles Leclerc, car number 16, significantly faster.

Lewis Hamilton struggled with front-end grip throughout the race. On lap 57, he reported via radio that the front of his car suddenly felt very light. Five laps later, he complained of essentially having “no front wing.” Ferrari is now investigating whether the front wing changes made before and during the Spanish GP weekend contributed to Hamilton’s handling issues.

Carlos Sainz, who was replaced at Ferrari by the Briton, expressed sympathy for Lewis Hamilton’s struggles, understanding the challenges that come with adjusting to new cars and teams. While Carlos Sainz has found his rhythm at Williams, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion’s difficulties suggest that the seven-time world champion still faces an uphill battle to find form this season.