At the conclusion of the qualifying session for the Hungarian Grand Prix, Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur offered his analysis of the performance delivered by both Ferrari Formula 1 drivers, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
After a promising free practice session on Friday at the Hungaroring circuit, Fred Vasseur had urged for caution and a measured approach going into Saturday’s qualifying. According to the Ferrari boss, there were too many variables and uncertainties related to engine mapping configurations and fuel loads to allow for any confident comparisons with the team’s main rivals. For this reason, the French team principal insisted it was essential to wait for Saturday’s qualifying sessions in Budapest to get a clearer picture of the real potential of the SF-25 car heading into the final race before the Formula 1 summer break.
And indeed, Ferrari proved to be in the fight. Thanks in part to the recent technical upgrades introduced on the SF-25 in the last few weeks, both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton now have a car that enables them to consistently run ahead of competitors such as Mercedes and Red Bull Racing. However, despite the clear progress, the team still appears to be lacking a small but crucial step in order to seriously challenge the two McLaren Formula 1 cars, which have emerged as the dominant force during the first half of the 2025 F1 season.
Fred Vasseur reflects on Ferrari’s Saturday performance
After qualifying, which determined the starting grid for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix, Fred Vasseur commented on Ferrari’s performance during the intense session. The results were a mix of highs and lows: Charles Leclerc secured a spectacular pole position, while Lewis Hamilton ended up only in 13th place.
Vasseur stated, “I don’t know if this is the best pole position of Charles Leclerc’s career, but it is certainly the most difficult one. During Q1 and Q2, we really struggled to get the tyres up to the optimal temperature range, and we were on the verge of being eliminated. Charles managed to execute everything perfectly exactly when it mattered most.”
The French team principal acknowledged that the session had gone their way, but not without risk. “We were lucky today,” he said. “Everyone is pushing the limits when it comes to managing the out-lap, and with such incredibly tight gaps between drivers, even the smallest error can result in losing several grid positions.”
Speaking about Lewis Hamilton’s result, Fred Vasseur admitted it was a frustrating outcome. He pointed out that the British driver had demonstrated solid pace throughout the weekend, but failed to deliver a clean lap in Q2. “It is certainly frustrating. Lewis Hamilton showed strong pace during all the practice sessions, but when it mattered in Q2, he wasn’t able to find the right lap. We must learn from this and figure out why we struggled at the beginning of the qualifying session.”
Fred Vasseur concluded by emphasizing that in the race, the team would do everything possible to maximise performance. “In the race, we will give it our all, staying focused solely on ourselves and avoiding distractions from what the others are doing,” he added.
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