The 2025 Formula 1 season was expected to be Ferrari’s most promising opportunity in over ten years to secure a championship, boosted by the high-profile signing of seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton and the perceived progress of the SF-25 after a solid 2024. However, with nine races remaining, Ferrari arrives at Monza struggling to keep pace as McLaren leads the Constructors’ Championship by 324 points, and Ferrari still chases its first race win of the year amid mounting challenges.
Last year, Ferrari narrowly missed the World Championship by 14 points, marking their closest title pursuit since 2007, with the SF-25 seen as the crucial element to finally clinch the crown. Despite the hype surrounding Hamilton’s move from Mercedes during the offseason, it has been Charles Leclerc who has taken control within the team. Over 14 races so far, Leclerc has dominated qualifying against Hamilton 11-4 and leads in race finishes 11-2, with five podiums including a strong second place in Monaco. Conversely, Hamilton has yet to reach a Grand Prix podium, managing only two Sprint race podiums that hint at his pace potential.
The SF-25 has been marred by mechanical reliability issues and a problematic rear-end balance throughout the campaign. Both drivers have consistently voiced concerns over the car’s braking and handling, and these technical difficulties have left them trailing behind McLaren’s relentless form on the track.
Team principal identifies McLaren as major obstacle
On the Beyond The Grid podcast, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur expressed candid frustration with the season so far:
“What is my biggest frustration regarding the SF-25? McLaren. Of course, we’ve had some issues on our side… but I don’t feel like we made any major mistakes. We’re ahead of Mercedes and Red Bull, who were the reference teams of the past decade. It’s not that we did something stupid, but McLaren has simply been exceptional.” —Fred Vasseur, Ferrari Team Principal
McLaren’s dominance is stark, having claimed 13 wins in 15 races, including seven 1-2 finishes, putting both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles effectively out of reach for competitors. This overwhelming superiority has left other teams, Ferrari included, fighting for less significant points and positions.
Throughout the season, Ferrari’s occasional bursts of speed have been consistently undermined by a lack of reliability and inconsistent performance. Hamilton’s struggles to fully adapt to the SF-25, combined with ongoing uncertainties regarding car setup, have prevented the team from mounting a strong dual-driver challenge. Additionally, tire wear issues during longer stints have forced cautious strategy calls, and costly errors during pit stops have compounded their difficulties.
The situation worsened at the Dutch Grand Prix following the summer break when both Ferrari cars retired, denying the team any momentum heading into Monza. This has placed additional pressure on the team as they prepare to race in front of the passionate home crowd without recent competitive form.
Ferrari’s strategy and expectations for Monza
Monza has historically been a venue where Ferrari can compete with strength. Last season, Charles Leclerc triumphed at the Italian Grand Prix, finishing ahead of both McLaren cars, demonstrating that the SF-25 can still perform on the right weekend. For Lewis Hamilton, this race represents the first occasion he will compete in Ferrari colors in front of the devoted Tifosi, though he faces a five-place grid penalty due to a gearbox change, adding complexity to his challenge.
Fred Vasseur has emphasized the importance of a focused approach for Monza:
“It’s a very tough outcome for the team because for the championship and even for the approach of Monza it’s not the best one. But for sure if we want to do better a job, we have to do a much better Friday. For sure it’s not the best preparation but on the other hand we don’t need to have extra motivation for Monza. Everybody will push.” —Fred Vasseur, Ferrari Team Principal
He stressed that success at Monza will depend largely on delivering a clean and efficient Friday session, which provides reliable data and avoids last-minute setup changes on Saturday. Qualifying will be especially crucial for Hamilton because any mistakes will be exacerbated by his grid penalty.
The Autodromo Nazionale di Monza is a circuit that favors cars with strong power and low downforce setups. Although overtaking remains possible here, front-row starting positions greatly improve the chances of securing podium finishes, making qualifying performance at this track essential.
Heading into this weekend, Ferrari faces an important opportunity for redemption. Stemming McLaren’s dominance at Monza could spark a resurgence for the team and offer Hamilton a chance to kickstart his difficult debut season with Ferrari, while providing a boost to the fervent Tifosi as Formula 1 approaches the critical closing stages of the championship.
