Ferrari shows two faces even in Abu Dhabi qualifying: Fred Vasseur explains why Lewis Hamilton faced difficulties.
The Saturday at Yas Marina perfectly reflects Ferrari’s 2025 season. Even in Abu Dhabi qualifying, the Maranello team displayed a two-faced performance: Charles Leclerc consistently maximizes the potential of the SF-25, while Lewis Hamilton struggles to resolve the problems that have affected him since the start of the year.
This explains Charles Leclerc’s fifth place and Lewis Hamilton’s sixteenth. Two sides of the same coin that Ferrari fans hope will change in 2026, with the wish that both teammates can find themselves in a situation similar to what Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are currently experiencing.
Fred Vasseur gives an update after qualifying
At the end of the final Saturday of the season, Fred Vasseur addressed the difficulties faced by Lewis Hamilton. “It was tough for Lewis because he didn’t drive in FP1, having given his seat to Arthur, and then there was the crash midway through FP3. In a situation like this, where only two tenths separate P4 from P18, losing so much track time makes it extremely difficult to recover. You cannot achieve a strong performance based on FP2 alone. Now we need to focus on doing the best for our team to get the best possible result and finish the season on a high note,” said the Ferrari Team Principal.
For Ferrari fans dreaming of the day both cars fight at the front together – the way McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are doing right now – 2026 cannot come soon enough.
