Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur provided his analysis of the 2025 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, highlighting both the performance and strategy of the Maranello-based team. The event concluded with Charles Leclerc securing a podium finish in third position, while Lewis Hamilton, in his first season with Ferrari, completed a strong recovery to finish in seventh place. Although McLaren proved to be out of reach in terms of outright pace, the introduction of Ferrari’s new rear suspension delivered encouraging signs and will be instrumental for further development.
During his traditional post-race media briefing, Frederic Vasseur emphasized the importance of refining the new aerodynamic package and confirmed that the early debut of the rear suspension at Spa was intended to better prepare for the upcoming race weekend in Budapest.
Strategic Set-Up Differences Between Drivers
The Ferrari boss began by reviewing the strategic decisions made across the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, particularly the choice to adopt different aerodynamic configurations for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc—high downforce for Hamilton and low downforce for Charles Leclerc. He explained:
“It was not at all certain that it would rain 100% on Sunday. The race itself was not fully wet. The forecasts indicated intermittent showers throughout the day. We knew the situation before qualifying, but also understood that in case of rain, visibility would be a major issue, making overtaking extremely difficult. It was not an easy call, and even on the grid, the field was split 50-50. It’s always a gamble. On Sunday morning, no one could have predicted the sun would come out by the afternoon.”
Vasseur defended the team’s choice for Hamilton:
“I think the decision made for Lewis Hamilton was correct. In the early laps, he was able to overtake, and the higher downforce helped his recovery. We had the pace to pass George Russell and Alexander Albon, but due to the loaded rear wing, we stayed stuck behind for too long. Still, we managed to climb to seventh.”
Regarding Charles Leclerc’s low-downforce setup, Vasseur admitted uncertainty:
“It’s hard to judge Leclerc’s case. There was a 2 to 3 km/h difference in top speed between us, Max Verstappen, and the McLarens. When you make the decision on Saturday at 2 PM, you can’t know how many laps you’ll run on intermediates the next day. It’s a gamble, but overall I think it was the right call. I don’t believe a different setup would have made a huge difference in the top four positions.”
New Rear Suspension Still Under Evaluation
Vasseur also addressed the debut of Ferrari’s newly introduced rear suspension. While the timing was not ideal—arriving during a Sprint format weekend with limited practice—he insisted it was the right decision not to wait until the Hungarian Grand Prix.
“We still need to fine-tune everything,” Fred Vasseur admitted. “It’s never easy to introduce a major update during a Sprint weekend. You can’t run full race simulations on Friday, except for four laps or so, which makes it hard to gather data. Nevertheless, I believe it was better to bring it to Spa so we can prepare ourselves more thoroughly for the next race.”
He explained that some updates deliver immediate gains, while others need more calibration:
“There are updates that work from the first lap, and others that require refinement to understand their interaction with other variables—like the braking system, ride height, and so on. We are still in that second phase. Had I been able to choose, I would have preferred a standard weekend at Spa. But I don’t decide the calendar. Overall, I think it was the right move to bring the suspension now and accept the associated risks.”
The Ferrari team principal confirmed that this suspension marks the final major development on the SF-25 chassis:
“I believe every team is in the same position. As we approach the end of the season, more attention shifts toward the 2026 project. From now to the final races, we’ll introduce minor updates—mainly track-specific tweaks and weather-related changes—rather than big upgrade packages.”
Positive Team Reaction and Hamilton’s Performance
Fred Vasseur praised the spirit and execution shown by the Scuderia Ferrari team during the Belgian weekend, especially on Lewis Hamilton’s side of the garage:
“The overall mood in the team is good. Of course, the results from qualifying sessions were not what we had hoped for with Lewis, but part of being a racing team is knowing how to bounce back. That’s exactly what we did.”
“Lewis Hamilton did an excellent job. He was very aggressive early on in extreme conditions and battled Albon all the way to the end with a downforce setup that’s more suitable for a circuit like Budapest. It was an impressive comeback. That said, we must aim to improve from the very beginning of the weekend. If your goal is to fight for the podium or for the win, you cannot afford to make mistakes in any session. We all need to raise our game next week.”
Safety Concerns and Visibility in Wet Conditions
Finally, Frederic Vasseur gave his opinion on the race direction’s decision to delay the start of the Belgian Grand Prix by over an hour due to heavy rainfall: “We had one car set up with low downforce and the other with high downforce. I wasn’t pushing one direction or the other from a competitive point of view. But imagine if there had been an accident at Radillon. Everyone would have blamed race control. The responsibility they carry is enormous.”
He explained that the visibility issue is rooted in aerodynamics:
“After the tragic events at Spa in 2021, we conducted tests at Fiorano with different appendages aimed at reducing the water spray. But in the end, the water is lifted by the diffuser, and unless you radically compromise car performance, there is no way to fix that.”
“The problem is not grip, it’s visibility. Thanks to helmet cams, the public now sees that the drivers cannot see anything at all in heavy spray. That’s the most dangerous situation. If there’s an incident ahead, the driver behind won’t even realize a car is stopped on the track. I was asked whether the race could have started earlier. From a grip standpoint, yes. But regarding visibility, I’m not so sure. We cannot blame the race directors. If something were to happen, we would be the first to criticize them. Their decision deserves respect,” Fred Vasseur concluded.
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