Ferrari have moved up to second place in the constructors’ championship after the Spanish Grand Prix. But the mood at Maranello is anything but positive.
While Charles Leclerc delivered the team’s second consecutive podium, they are almost 200 points behind McLaren already. The iconic duo battled for the title last year, with Ferrari losing out by just 14 points.
Leclerc is consistently extracting the maximum from a profoundly disappointing SF-25. Meanwhile, superstar teammate Lewis Hamilton is in disarray.
Hamilton said the balance of his Ferrari was worse than ever in Spain, having crossed the line seventh after Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg embarrassingly passed him. That became sixth due to Max Verstappen’s penalty, but he remained utterly disconsolate.
Hamilton can’t generate any momentum at his new team. His Sprint win in China was immediately followed by a disqualification, and his podium in Miami’s Saturday race preceded a Q2 exit.
A rousing charge from 12th to fourth at Imola didn’t yield a breakthrough either. Last weekend, the seven-time world champion outqualified Leclerc for just the second time before his dismal race.
Ferrari were banking on FIA’s front-wing crackdown to resurrect their 2025 season
At least internally, Ferrari viewed the Spanish Grand Prix as their “day of resurrection.” They were aware that the front wings’ flexibility was being strictly enforced by the FIA. Fred Vasseur thought Mercedes and McLaren, the pacesetters, were the ones most gaining from the comparatively lax regulations. However, as Gary Anderson, a former F1 designer, pointed out in his Telegraph column, the new load testing ultimately had little impact.
Although it is hard to make a definitive judgment after only one race, the top four teams have essentially remained the same despite the regulation change,” he noted. The teams would have been working diligently for some time to produce front wings that conform with the flexi-wing alteration, which was disclosed several months ago. Despite a late safety car, Leclerc ended more than 10 seconds behind race winner Piastri, and the Ferrari was once again the fourth-fastest car in qualifying. Insiders in the F1 paddock believed Vasseur was unduly bullish about the rule changes, as Ferrari now has the responsibility to improve in order to catch up to McLaren.
Was Lewis Hamilton in tears after the Spanish Grand Prix?
Hamilton cautioned Ferrari not to anticipate a significant impact after testing the new front wing in a simulator. According to BBC Sport, he stated in Spain, “I drove it on the simulator, and it’s pretty much exactly the same.” “The only difference is a little bit more oversteer at high speed.” It appears that instead of relying on the new directive, Ferrari ought to have paid attention to Hamilton. There is a chance of a season without a victory. According to reports, a disillusioned Hamilton was crying after the race on Sunday. After reaching what he perceived to be a new low, he was observed wiping his eyes beneath his helmet.
