Is Ferrari’s situation really that bad? Encouraging signs from last year’s F1 Japan GP comparison. Ferrari can rely on an encouraging figure for the rest of the season.

After three races, Ferrari fans were hoping to see a different position in the standings than the current one. At the end of the Japanese GP, Ferrari sits fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, nearly eighty points behind McLaren — a gap that is already significant, even though twenty-one races remain in a season that, on the eve, was supposed to mark a return to success for the team from Maranello.

But is it really all to throw away? The feeling is that within the Scuderia’s garage they are slowly beginning to understand how to work on the SF-25’s setup. This was confirmed by both the drivers and the Team Principal during a Suzuka weekend where “positive aspects” and “things understood” were mentioned several times.

Obviously, track confirmation will be necessary, and in this regard, Bahrain will already be a good test. After the three days of testing that opened the season, returning to the Sakhir circuit will allow Ferrari to begin making some comparisons that will be useful for the rest of the year.

The figure that gives hope
Looking at the 2024 Formula 1 season, there is a figure that could inspire optimism. Last year, despite reaching the podium, Carlos Sainz finished more than twenty seconds behind Max Verstappen. Ferrari then managed to close the gap during the season, fighting for the Constructors’ title until the final race.

In the third race of 2025, however, Charles Leclerc finished fourth, just sixteen seconds off the leader. A figure that shows how, despite a disappointing start to the season, there has been a performance improvement — at least on the Japanese circuit.

And with the arrival of the first updates, fans hope to soon see a Ferrari capable of fighting for podiums and wins.