Dutch GP 2025: Fred Vasseur Breaks Down SF-25 Challenges
At the end of qualifying in Zandvoort, Ferrari’s team principal, Fred Vasseur, did not hide the issues faced by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. The two drivers secured sixth and seventh positions, marking an improvement over Friday but still falling short of the weekend’s original goal of placing the Maranello team in the second row.
Looking at sector times, both cars were about a tenth off the pace of the McLarens. Speaking to Sky Sport F1, Fred Vasseur clarified that “Charles, as mentioned on his in-lap, made a mistake in Turn 10, which prevented him from reaching the second row.”
Fred Vasseur reflected on Friday’s difficult sessions, explaining, “If we lost something today, I believe it’s more due to yesterday, because we were far off the pace and struggled, whereas today we started well.” He added, “Gaining a full second on Saturday is too much for both the car setup and the driver, and it’s easy to make a mistake. It was a solid recovery overall, especially since fourth place was not far away.”
Dutch GP 2025, Vasseur: Confidence in Hamilton and Analysis on Leclerc’s Issues
Lewis Hamilton showed clear improvement compared to previous races. While still not reaching his ultimate target, he was beginning to find a better feel for the SF-25. In both Q1 and Q2, Hamilton finished ahead of his teammate.
“He’s having an excellent weekend,” Fred Vasseur said. Reflecting on the first two practice sessions, he added, “He started pushing hard in the first two laps, and we were impressed, even though he later spun because he was really at the limit. It’s a positive sign after the break, to come back and push immediately while putting everything together.”
Regarding Charles Leclerc, Fred Vasseur noted, “It’s the same for Charles. Yesterday we started badly, we were quite far back, and we couldn’t recover much on Saturday.” When asked about the car’s problems, Fred Vasseur explained, “I think it’s a setup issue. We were slightly outside the ideal window. Every small problem tends to become huge, which means you quickly lose direction in terms of car balance and other aspects.”
He continued, “Recovering a second and a half compared to yesterday isn’t impossible, but it means pushing at the limit. Charles did an excellent lap in Q2 and was fast compared to his last attempt. But from tomorrow, our focus is on the race. The race pace was a bit better on Friday compared to qualifying, so it’s still open.”
Dutch GP 2025, Fred Vasseur: Ferrari Weak Points and the Challenge Against McLaren and Verstappen
Qualifying highlighted Ferrari’s struggles in Turns 9 and 10. Asked if Zandvoort is the worst circuit for the SF-25, Fred Vasseur stated, “If we want to aim for pole, probably yes, because it shows the car’s problems very clearly.”
Other corners also present challenges: “The truth is that Turns 7 and 8 are complicated too, high-speed and banked, which puts a lot of pressure on the tires and easily overheats them. In the slower corners, like 9 and 10, it’s fairly easy to lose control. This means you have to manage the previous corners very well, and that’s not simple at all.”
In contrast, McLaren has shown excellent tire management this year, keeping tires in the optimal temperature range without overheating. Nevertheless, the race is on Sunday, and for the podium, the main obstacles are George Russell and Max Verstappen. Fred Vasseur reiterated a familiar point from recent races: “Now we need to put everything together.” He added, “The strategy is tight this time, but we have two cars to fight with them, and it’s a good starting point.”
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