The start of the 2025 Formula 1 campaign has been far from ideal for Ferrari, and the Chinese Grand Prix served as a perfect reflection of their challenging opening to the campaign.
Following a near-miss in the constructors’ championship last season, Ferrari entered the 2025 season with high expectations, bolstered by the addition of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. Team principal Frederic Vasseur made significant changes, including a switch from a push rod to a pull rod suspension, while overseeing the development of a new car. However, compared to rivals like McLaren, Ferrari’s design choices have been relatively conservative this season.
Sadly, consistency has been elusive for both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, with neither driver able to secure reliable performance from their SF-25. At the Australian Grand Prix, the team showed potential in practice but ultimately started from the fourth row, struggling to feature in the top 10 after poor strategy decisions and a lack of race pace.
In China, Lewis Hamilton managed to secure a victory in the Sprint Race, but both Ferraris quickly fell behind McLaren, Max Verstappen, and George Russell in race pace. To make matters worse, both cars were disqualified, which led to even more frustration and doubts within the team about the SF-25’s competitiveness.
Following the Shanghai race, Italian journalist Leo Turrini shared his insights on his blog, revealing concerns from inside Ferrari. Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have expressed their dissatisfaction with the Maranello team’s lack of performance, raising further doubts about the direction of Ferrari’s development and its ability to challenge for titles in the 2025 Formula 1 season.
The Italian journalist remarked that the double disqualification, resulting from two separate irregularities, did not stem from bad faith, as there was no intention to cheat. However, he emphasized the seriousness of the situation, describing it as extremely severe and stating that there was no point in sugar-coating it. He also noted that he couldn’t recall a similar incident involving Ferrari, adding that Fred Vasseur certainly did not deserve to have his name associated with the team’s history in this way, though he acknowledged he was being somewhat generous in his words.
He further suggested that the double disqualification could be attributed to the SF-25, describing the car as inherently complicated and difficult to set up. He compared it to a Rubik’s cube on four wheels. He also mentioned that he had expressed concerns about the technical solutions adopted for the car earlier, warning about the internal doubts surrounding it.
The Ferrari insider clarified that at the end of the 2024 Formula 1 season, McLaren had the best car, but Ferrari was still competitive. However, he pointed out that there was a lack of clarity within the team and expressed concern that the project was becoming overly complicated, making it extremely challenging to find the right balance in the car. He also highlighted that the drivers were not satisfied, as they lacked the confidence that the car would allow them to be consistently competitive.
Ferrari’s Anxiety Likely Contributed to Disqualifications of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc
For the first time in its storied 75-year history in Formula 1, Ferrari experienced the rare and frustrating situation of having both of their drivers disqualified from the same race at the Shanghai Grand Prix. The team’s disqualification was made even more aggravating for team principal Frederic Vasseur, as Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were excluded for entirely different reasons.
One possible factor contributing to the Italian side’s misfortune at the Shanghai circuit could be the anxiety surrounding the team’s performance levels, which may have influenced the decisions that led to both drivers’ disqualifications. This anxiety, possibly fueled by the intense pressure to improve after last season’s near-miss, is an issue that Ferrari needs to address promptly. A key contributing factor might be changes in the design of Ferrari’s cars for the 2025 season, which could have impacted their performance and led to the exclusion of both drivers. If this is indeed the case, the upcoming break before the Japanese Grand Prix presents a critical opportunity for Ferrari to review their car’s setup and identify a solution to prevent a repeat of this setback.
The margins between the leading teams in Formula 1 are incredibly tight, with just fractions of a second often making the difference at the front of the grid. Ferrari, in their bid to push the limits of performance, may have pushed a bit too far this time. Losing valuable points in China, especially over an entirely avoidable issue, is a setback that will undoubtedly affect their standings in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. The frustration expressed by both Hamilton and Leclerc is entirely justified, as the team’s internal issues have cost them crucial points in what could prove to be a competitive season.
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