Scuderia Ferrari has long stood as one of the most passionate and emotionally driven teams in the world of Formula 1, a reflection of its deep-rooted heritage and its symbolic connection to Italy. This intense national and historical significance amplifies every success and magnifies each setback experienced by the Scuderia on the global stage.
Racing for the Italian side remains a dream for most Formula 1 drivers, yet only nine individuals in the sport’s history have managed to win a world championship while driving for the team based in Maranello. Lewis Hamilton is currently aiming to become the tenth, hoping to end his storied F1 career on a high with the legendary Italian outfit. Although his debut campaign with Ferrari has been turbulent, there are encouraging signs that the team may be on the cusp of progress, and Lewis Hamilton remains cautiously optimistic about their potential trajectory.
One of Ferrari’s most critical technical challenges in 2025 has centered around the car’s ride height. The SF-25 has been running too close to the ground, causing excessive wear to the mandatory legality plank—an element regulated to prevent cars from bottoming out. In the ground-effect era, cars are designed to function optimally at extremely low ride heights, meaning Ferrari’s struggles in managing this delicate balance have resulted in a loss of consistent performance.
Midway through the 2025 Formula 1 season, Ferrari is expected to introduce a major upgrade aimed at addressing these shortcomings. However, with Red Bull and McLaren continuing to pull away in the standings, any improvement may come too late to salvage their title hopes. While the Maranello team undoubtedly possesses strong engineering talent, a persistent cultural issue may be limiting its ability to innovate under pressure.
Internal Pressure at Ferrari Reportedly Hindering Engineering Creativity
Year after year, speculation around team principal Fred Vasseur’s future intensifies whenever Ferrari underperforms—a narrative often fueled by the Italian media. While some criticism may stem from traditional cycles of scrutiny, recent reports suggest there could be genuine reasons for concern about the team’s internal structure.
According to The Sunday Times, insiders claim that although working for Ferrari remains a prestigious opportunity within the paddock, the internal atmosphere can become stifling under stress. When performance dips and pressure mounts, engineers reportedly become hesitant to propose new ideas or alternative solutions out of fear of being blamed if things go wrong. This risk-averse environment is said to be one of the key cultural barriers Ferrari must overcome to return to its championship-winning ways.
Ferrari Needs to Rediscover the Stability Seen During Jean Todt’s Era
The Ferrari name carries an immense burden of expectations, and the internal culture has at times been described as one of the most demanding environments in the paddock. In the early 2000s, under the leadership of Jean Todt, the team operated with remarkable cohesion. Alongside Michael Schumacher, Ross Brawn, and Rory Byrne, Ferrari dominated the sport and set new standards in technical execution and race-day operations.
Since that golden era, the team has struggled to replicate such organizational excellence. Under Stefano Domenicali, Ferrari briefly found success, winning two titles in 2007 and 2008. However, his departure in 2014 marked the beginning of a phase defined by blame culture and instability.
Successive team principals—Marco Mattiacci, Maurizio Arrivabene, and Mattia Binotto—failed to dismantle this toxic cycle, with Mattia Binotto’s tenure notably marred by operational missteps and growing internal tensions. Despite positive moves such as bringing in Hamilton and nearly securing the services of engineering legend Adrian Newey, Fred Vasseur still faces the monumental task of transforming Ferrari’s internal dynamics.
Unless Ferrari commits to a deeper cultural reset—one that empowers creativity without fear of repercussions—the team may continue to fall short of its championship ambitions, regardless of driver talent or technical upgrades.
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