Forward of the 2025 System 1 season, Ferrari’s driver line-up was extensively considered the strongest on the grid, that includes the mix of long-time workforce 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 workforce’s tradition and operations higher than most. In the meantime, Hamilton joined the workforce with the ambition of capturing one ultimate 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, notably after enduring a difficult ultimate chapter with Mercedes. Leclerc, nonetheless, was extra cautious in his pre-season assessments of Ferrari’s SF-25. That warning has considerably light following the introduction of the workforce’s first main flooring improve, which allowed Leclerc to safe a podium end and present seen progress. In distinction, Hamilton has struggled to seek out efficiency, ending seventh in Saudi Arabia and expressing clear frustration.
What’s rising as a extra important concern for workforce 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 by way of automotive setup, notably round entrance wing changes—a problem that would complicate Ferrari’s improvement path shifting ahead.
Stories reveal a significant divergence in Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s suggestions
Motorsport journalist and System 1 skilled Roberto Chinchero, talking on the James Allen on F1 Podcast, highlighted a telling discrepancy between the 2 Ferrari drivers. Whereas the Monegasque is regularly requesting extra entrance wing angle throughout pit stops—looking for a sharper front-end really feel—Hamilton has constantly requested for much less, suggesting a elementary discomfort with the SF-25’s steadiness throughout braking and cornering phases.
The Italian journalist defined that Lewis Hamilton appears to have explored each possible setup answer along with his engineers however stays unhappy. This means that the British driver would possibly require broader automotive traits to alter—ones not simply addressed by way of typical setup tweaks. The deeper subject lies in whether or not Ferrari can accommodate such a request whereas nonetheless progressing general efficiency. With the Monegasque thriving below the present setup philosophy, shifting improvement priorities may threat undermining one driver’s momentum to help the opposite.
The veteran journalist additionally instructed 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 model 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 grow to be a significant concern.
Ferrari’s 2025 qualifying weak spot 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 completed qualifiers in System 1 historical past—Leclerc being the most effective 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 in the course of the Dash Race in Shanghai.
Insiders counsel that Ferrari could also be grappling with an underlying design flaw that notably hinders the automotive’s efficiency throughout qualifying classes. If true, this subject is barely compounding Hamilton’s difficulties as he tries to adapt to a brand new atmosphere and equipment that doesn’t swimsuit his driving model.
Ferrari now faces a vital determination: perceive and reconcile the contrasting setup wants of each drivers or threat dropping floor in each championships. With out addressing the divide, Lewis Hamilton could possibly be left trailing not solely Leclerc but additionally the highest contenders in a season that was presupposed to mark Ferrari’s resurgence.
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