Lewis Hamilton acknowledged that Ferrari’s pace is currently behind Red Bull and Mercedes, following his eighth-place finish at the Singapore Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion, still seeking his first podium with Ferrari this year, emphasized that the team needs to improve their qualifying performance to close the gap.
Ferrari’s difficulties began early in the Singapore weekend as Hamilton qualified only sixth, while his teammate Charles Leclerc started seventh. These mid-grid positions trapped both Ferraris behind slower cars, while McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes secured the top spots on the grid.
McLaren has been the strongest team so far in 2025, winning 12 races. Red Bull has four victories, and Mercedes is regaining competitiveness with their second win at Singapore. Hamilton’s switch from Mercedes to Ferrari this season has not yet produced the consistent form he displayed at the Silver Arrows.
Hamilton Highlights Rear-End Limitations Compared to Rival Teams
When asked about which tracks would suit him best, the 40-year-old driver explained the car’s limitations in Singapore’s conditions. He noted the team’s rear-end performance lags behind Mercedes and Red Bull as a significant factor in their struggles.
“I don’t know. We’re currently limited with rear end compared to the guys that are clearly taking a step and improved their rear – Mercedes and Red Bull… I know we got Austin and Mexico, Qatar, Brazil… it’s all about how we extract in qualifying and if we can get the most out of the car. But at the moment we need to get 105% out the car to be able to compete with the guys ahead. So, that’s gonna be tough.”
Lewis Hamilton, Seven-Time World Champion
During the race, Ferrari’s strategy backfired as both cars started on medium tyres with Leclerc rising to fifth and Hamilton in seventh. However, a poor pit strategy dropped them back into the midfield pack, compounded by Hamilton facing brake temperature issues in the later stages.
Despite defending from Fernando Alonso, Hamilton crossed the line in seventh, but a five-second penalty for track limits violations demoted him to eighth place.
Meanwhile, McLaren sealed the constructors’ championship in Singapore, while Mercedes secured second-place with a win and a fifth-place finish. Mercedes now holds 325 points in the standings, leading Ferrari’s 298 with Red Bull close behind at 290 points. With six races left, Hamilton’s season largely depends on boosting his qualifying results and maximizing performance during sprint events. Although he has won in China and earned sprint podiums in Miami, the SF-25 rarely competes at the same front-running pace across full races.
Qualifying Remains Ferrari’s Biggest Challenge, Says Hamilton
Hamilton pinpointed qualifying as the crucial weak spot hindering Ferrari’s results. He admitted the team struggles to fully exploit the car’s potential on Saturday, frequently leaving them with too many positions to gain during the race. Hamilton trails Leclerc significantly in qualifying results this season, 12 to 6, and on race finishes, 15 to 3.
“In qualifying, I think we’re still not extracting the full potential of the car. We didn’t in the last race, and again this weekend. I think there was potential to have been third or fourth on the grid this weekend, if we had perfected, extracted the tyre performance and not queued at the end of the pit lane, for example. And in the race, we’re kind of on par pace-wise with at least a couple of cars ahead of us… So I think if we can get our qualifying fixed, which is very, very hard to do against these quick cars, then maybe we can get slightly better results.”
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Driver
Hamilton’s racecraft has been evident as he consistently climbs through the field from poor grid positions. In Miami, he improved from 12th to 8th, at Imola from 12th to 4th, Belgium from 16th to 7th, Monza from 10th to 6th, and most recently at Singapore from 6th to 8th. These efforts demonstrate his skill but also highlight that the SF-25 struggles to qualify strongly.
Ferrari now faces the pressing challenge of turning qualifying into a stronger aspect of their weekend, as improving Saturday performance will be essential if Hamilton and the team are to compete with the dominant teams over the remainder of the season.
Current Standings and the Road Ahead for Ferrari and Hamilton
With just six races remaining in the 2025 season, the battle for championships intensifies. Ferrari trails Mercedes by 27 points in the constructors’ championship, while Red Bull has closed in and remains a threat with 290 points. Hamilton, who has endured a difficult transition to Ferrari, will rely heavily on refining qualifying setups and race strategies to challenge the front runners.
The Singapore Grand Prix highlighted the gulf in single-lap speed and race pace between Ferrari and their rivals, underscoring a season of mixed results and growing frustration. Hamilton’s candid remarks reveal the team’s urgent need to address their car’s deficiencies, particularly in qualifying trim, if they hope to re-enter title contention.
As the season progresses, the remaining sprint events and circuits like Austin, Mexico, Qatar, and Brazil may offer opportunities for Ferrari and Hamilton to close the gap. However, the team must enhance their performance both in qualifying and race pace to break McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes’ current dominance.
#SingaporeGP 🇸🇬 | Lewis Hamilton says he doesn’t know which upcoming tracks will suit the car:
“We’re currently limited, we’re really limited with rear end, compared to the guys that have clearly taken the step and improved their rear. Mercedes and Red Bull.”
“I don’t even know… pic.twitter.com/HZS9HtsNT7
— deni (@fiagirly) October 5, 2025
