From Bahrain to Bahrain. This weekend, F1 is about to come full circle, holding the fourth Grand Prix of 2025 in Bahrain, on the same track where winter testing took place. Since then, there have been three races—on street circuits, fast tracks, and technical layouts. In short, all possible conditions have been covered: a varied and useful mix to get a clear picture of the pecking order. A negative picture for Ferrari which, after three race weekends, has clearly shown it is far from fast, nowhere near the front-runners, nor in contention for poles or victories. On the contrary, the SF-25 fluctuates between being the third or fourth-best car on the grid. There’s no use beating around the bush: after the winter hype, the much-anticipated answers from the track have been disappointing for the Prancing Horse, and the Japanese GP confirmed beyond reasonable doubt that the expected top-level performance is currently out of Ferrari’s reach.
So much work to do…
The SF-25 struggles and has shown a weak correlation between simulations and on-track performance. In Suzuka, as in Melbourne and Shanghai, Ferrari disappointed once again, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finishing fourth and seventh in Mie, dealing with a car that is inconsistent but above all uncompetitive in various scenarios—significantly slower than McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes (despite Leclerc’s attempt to make up for it). And to make matters worse, it’s a car that’s hard to understand and operate. This is an unacceptable situation for a team with championship ambitions, one Ferrari must exit as soon as possible—by continuing to fine-tune the car (to unlock unexpressed potential) and accelerating development to widen its operating window and increase its performance. Updates, particularly to the floor and other areas, are expected as soon as next weekend in Sakhir.
Fred Vasseur, between rumors and pressure: Leo Turrini speaks
This is a moment of great disappointment and dismay for Ferrari, which is struggling to come to terms with this unexpectedly complex picture and is working to recover—something Leo Turrini commented on in his blog “Profondo Rosso”, especially in light of recent statements by Ferrari team principal Fréd Vasseur. The Frenchman admitted that Bahrain offers a chance to measure progress since testing, as well as an opportunity to take steps forward in optimizing the car’s balance and managing every detail of the weekend.
“The Sakhir event has, bitterly, the flavor of yet another final exam. I won’t dwell on the industrial-scale quantity of rumors circulating behind the scenes: whether true or not, they’re the result of a frankly embarrassing start to the season. Rather, if you know how to read between the lines, what’s interesting is the message sent to the world by the country parish priest. Fred Vasseur—no use denying it—is living through the most delicate moment since replacing Mattia Binotto. And he knows it perfectly well.”
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