With the exciting announcement of Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari for the 2025 Formula 1 season, fans and experts alike were buzzing with anticipation. As the seven-time champion aligned with the iconic Italian team, expectations soared that Hamilton could achieve his historic eighth title with Scuderia Ferrari, creating a legendary finale to his career.
However, the onset of the season has triggered a re-evaluation of these high hopes. Ferrari’s efforts began with a modest five points in Australia, followed by a stronger 12-point performance in China, largely thanks to Hamilton’s impressive sprint race win. Unfortunately, this momentum did not carry through to the Shanghai Grand Prix, where disqualifications for both Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc added to their woes. Although the Japanese Grand Prix saw Leclerc in fourth and Hamilton climbing to seventh, the Italian team remains distant from the leading group, particularly lagging behind McLaren by an average of three-tenths of a second per lap.
Currently facing a 76-point shortfall in the Constructors’ standings, Ferrari’s journey ahead seems challenging. Yet, Hamilton remains optimistic, conveying confidence in the SF-25’s potential to narrow this gap. Recently, he expressed his determination, stating, “We don’t need much to be fighting at the front, with four teams more or less on the same level, every small gain counts. As always, we’ll work as one team, pulling together all the data and pushing in the right direction. I can’t wait to get in the car.”
As 2025 marks the final year of the current regulations, the competition has tightened, making Hamilton’s prediction on achieving incremental gains particularly pertinent. Ferrari’s plans include introducing the season’s first round of upgrades, anticipated to feature enhancements like a new floor. Hamilton added, “We got an upgrade this weekend, so I’m excited, we’re gonna, hopefully, have a bit more downforce. I’m not really feeling huge amounts of issues, it’s just that we lack overall performance, pace-wise, which we’ll hopefully take a step this weekend.”
Despite this, the looming question remains: can Ferrari match McLaren’s pace as other teams also bring their upgrades? Optimism persists within Ferrari’s camp, with recent simulations reportedly showing that Ferrari trails just a tenth of a second behind McLaren, under ideal conditions, as per F1 journalist Giuliano Duchessa.
Given that Ferrari was nearest to McLaren during pre-season testing, held in Bahrain, they expect to present a stellar performance as they return to Sakhir. Ferrari still draws hope from last year’s dramatic comeback at Monza, where the team’s trajectory shifted decisively. With Leclerc’s victory and Carlos Sainz‘s fourth-place finish that weekend, Ferrari captured 37 crucial points, setting the pace for a gripping title race. Later wins in Austin and Mexico bolstered their challenge, leading up to a climactic showdown in Abu Dhabi where Ferrari narrowly missed out on the championship, losing by just 14 points to McLaren.
As the season unfolds, the question lingers: can Ferrari replicate this revival in 2025 and claim the championship title? With Lewis Hamilton at their helm, championing a blend of talent, experience, and unwavering belief in growth, the Scuderia’s campaign remains compelling. Only time will reveal whether Ferrari and Hamilton can transcend their early setbacks to achieve victory and cement their place in F1 history.
