Forward of the 2025 Formulation 1 season, Ferrari’s driver line-up was extensively considered the strongest on the grid, that includes the mixture of long-time crew stalwart Charles Leclerc and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. The Monegasque, a product of the Ferrari Driver Academy, has spent the vast majority of his profession with the Scuderia and understands the intricacies of the crew’s tradition and operations higher than most. In the meantime, Hamilton joined the crew with the ambition of capturing one remaining title with the game’s most iconic outfit, aiming to finish his legendary profession on a excessive.
Hamilton entered the brand new marketing campaign feeling assured, significantly after enduring a difficult remaining chapter with Mercedes. Leclerc, nevertheless, was extra cautious in his pre-season assessments of Ferrari’s SF-25. That warning has considerably light following the introduction of the crew’s first main ground improve, which allowed Leclerc to safe a podium end and present seen progress. In distinction, Hamilton has struggled to search out efficiency, ending seventh in Saudi Arabia and expressing clear frustration.
What’s rising as a extra vital concern for crew boss Fred Vasseur is not only the hole in outcomes between his drivers, however the diverging technical suggestions they’re providing. Hamilton and Leclerc seem like heading in reverse instructions when it comes to automobile setup, significantly round entrance wing changes—a problem that would complicate Ferrari’s growth path transferring ahead.
Reviews reveal a serious divergence in Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s suggestions
Motorsport journalist and Formulation 1 professional Roberto Chinchero, talking on the James Allen on F1 Podcast, highlighted a telling discrepancy between the 2 Ferrari drivers. Whereas the Monegasque is often requesting further entrance wing angle throughout pit stops—in search of a sharper front-end really feel—Hamilton has persistently requested for much less, suggesting a elementary discomfort with the SF-25’s stability throughout braking and cornering phases.
The Italian journalist defined that Lewis Hamilton appears to have explored each possible setup resolution along with his engineers however stays unhappy. This means that the British driver would possibly require broader automobile traits to alter—ones not simply addressed by standard setup tweaks. The deeper situation lies in whether or not Ferrari can accommodate such a request whereas nonetheless progressing general efficiency. With the Monegasque thriving underneath the present setup philosophy, shifting growth priorities may danger undermining one driver’s momentum to assist the opposite.
The veteran journalist additionally steered that after greater than a decade with Mercedes, The Briton’s deeply ingrained driving instincts could now conflict with what the Ferrari calls for. Adapting his fashion at this stage in his profession may show extremely troublesome. And given that he’s already a number of tenths off his teammate, the disparity has turn into a serious concern.
Ferrari’s 2025 qualifying weak point provides to Lewis Hamilton’s challenges
An additional complication is Ferrari’s ongoing battle to ship sturdy qualifying efficiency in 2025. Regardless of boasting two of essentially the most achieved qualifiers in Formulation 1 historical past—Leclerc being among the finest one-lap specialists and Hamilton the one driver with over 100 pole positions—the SF-25 seems to lack the sting in low-fuel, high-grip circumstances. Hamilton has solely crushed Leclerc as soon as in qualifying, and that got here throughout the Dash Race in Shanghai.
Insiders counsel that Ferrari could also be grappling with an underlying design flaw that significantly hinders the automobile’s efficiency throughout qualifying periods. If true, this situation is just compounding Hamilton’s difficulties as he tries to adapt to a brand new surroundings and equipment that doesn’t go well with his driving fashion.
Ferrari now faces a vital choice: perceive and reconcile the contrasting setup wants of each drivers or danger shedding floor in each championships. With out addressing the divide, Lewis Hamilton may very well be left trailing not solely Leclerc but in addition the highest contenders in a season that was presupposed to mark Ferrari’s resurgence.
Purchase official Ferrari F1 merchandise!
Let different Scuderia Followers learn about us
