Ferrari Disappoints in Belgian Sprint at Spa-Francorchamps
Anyone expecting the Ferrari SF-25 to be more competitive and closer to the front of the grid—perhaps capable of challenging on equal footing with McLaren or even keeping pace with Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen—will have been left disappointed by the initial competitive sessions of the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix weekend. That includes Sprint Qualifying and the 100-kilometre Sprint Race held on Saturday morning at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
Among those likely sharing in that disappointment is Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur himself. The French manager had viewed the Belgian Grand Prix as a possible turning point in what has so far been a frustrating and inconsistent season for the Maranello-based team. However, the performance of the Scuderia Ferrari cars failed to meet expectations, especially in the Sprint format, where many had hoped the SF-25 would showcase the benefits of recent upgrades and improved performance.
While Lewis Hamilton, who was eliminated in SQ1, failed to recover and finished only in 15th place, Charles Leclerc managed a more solid outing. The Monegasque driver had a promising start, completing a clean and confident overtake on Lando Norris at the end of the Kemmel Straight on the opening lap. But despite his efforts, Leclerc ultimately finished in fourth position, behind Max Verstappen and the two McLaren drivers.
What raised even more concern was the time gap: over ten seconds behind the race winner, despite Charles Leclerc driving in clean air for most of the 15-lap Sprint. That margin, accumulated in such a short race distance, highlights just how much Ferrari is still lacking in overall performance. It’s not an encouraging sign heading into the rest of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, although teams will have the opportunity to adjust car setups ahead of the full Qualifying session and Sunday’s Grand Prix, particularly with weather conditions expected to shift.
What Frederic Vasseur Had to Say After the Sprint
Speaking after the chequered flag on Saturday morning, Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur provided a candid assessment of the team’s performance during the Sprint Race. In an interview with French broadcaster Canal+, Fred Vasseur acknowledged the performance deficit and outlined the challenges the team is facing with their current car setup.
“I think we have a clear pace deficit,” said Frederic Vasseur, “of at least three tenths of a second per lap compared to Max Verstappen. We’re still in the process of fine-tuning the car, especially when it comes to the brake systems and the new rear suspension layout. But we are committed to fighting back—one hundredth of a second at a time—to rejoin the leading group.”
Fred Vasseur also discussed the next steps as Ferrari looks ahead to Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session and Sunday’s main race. Asked whether setup changes would be made before qualifying, the French team principal confirmed that adjustments were planned but warned that unpredictable weather could complicate matters.
“Yes, we’ll make changes,” Fred Vasseur stated, “but the real challenge will be getting the car ready for tomorrow. The forecast is calling for heavy rain, possibly torrential. Race pace is going to be key in those conditions, so we’ll have to see how things unfold. At this point, there are still a lot of unknowns.”
The Ferrari team principal’s comments underline the uphill battle that Scuderia Ferrari continues to face. Despite new components and a determined driver pairing in Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, the red cars remain off the pace compared to their main rivals, especially Red Bull Racing and McLaren. Yet the team remains focused on development and refinement, holding onto the belief that small improvements—gained one hundredth of a second at a time—can eventually bring them back into contention.
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