SF-25 Struggles in Qualifying but Shows Promise in Race Pace
As the sun dipped behind the rolling hills of Emilia-Romagna, there was a familiar feeling in the Ferrari garage — cautious optimism laced with frustration. On a day when many hoped the Scuderia would flex its muscles in front of the Tifosi, reality served a more sobering reminder: the SF-25 is still a work in progress.
While Ferrari’s long-run pace offered some encouragement during Friday’s free practice sessions at Imola, single-lap performance — crucial on a tight, technical track where overtaking is notoriously difficult — continued to be the team’s Achilles’ heel.
Race Pace Good, But Qualifying Remains the Weak Link
Let’s be clear: Ferrari didn’t have a disastrous day. Far from it. There were solid long-run stints from both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton (who joined Ferrari this season in one of the sport’s most high-profile moves in recent years), and the team gathered valuable data across various tyre compounds.
But that’s not the whole story.
In a track like Imola, where the layout is narrow, twisty, and filled with heritage rather than overtaking zones, your qualifying position is everything. Race pace might win you battles on strategy — but only if you’re close enough to the fight. And right now, Ferrari doesn’t look like they’ll be starting anywhere near the front row.
Leclerc: “Starting from pole? That’s probably out of reach”
Charles Leclerc didn’t sugarcoat it when he spoke to the media after FP2. There was no attempt at playing mind games or downplaying the challenge. His tone was measured, grounded — a driver who knows where he stands.
“To be honest, fighting for pole looks very difficult right now,” Leclerc admitted. “Second row would be a great result. Realistically, we’re targeting third. And if everything goes perfectly — and I mean perfectly — maybe we sneak into P2. But even that would be a bit of a miracle.”
That kind of honesty is rare in a sport full of coded language and guarded optimism. But it reflects a Ferrari squad that’s deeply aware of where it shines — and where it doesn’t.
FP1 Struggles, FP2 Gains — But Still Off the Pace
The first practice session of the day didn’t go smoothly for the Scuderia. Leclerc described it as “complicated,” citing setup issues and balance inconsistencies. But to the team’s credit, they made progress heading into the afternoon. Adjustments to ride height, wing angles, and brake mapping seemed to offer a bit more stability in FP2.
Still, even with a better-balanced car, the raw one-lap pace just wasn’t there. Ferrari looked a step behind both Red Bull and McLaren, and only marginally ahead of Mercedes — not the kind of gap that instills confidence going into a qualifying session at a circuit as punishing as Imola.
“Overtaking Here Is a Nightmare”
Race strategy can only take you so far on a track where overtaking opportunities are limited to a couple of corners — most notably, the run down to Turn 2 after the start/finish straight. Leclerc was quick to point this out:
“Our long-run pace is decent,” he said. “But we know Imola. Passing cars here is a nightmare unless you have a big tyre delta or the guy ahead makes a mistake. That’s why qualifying performance is so important — and that’s our weakest point at the moment.”
This is the paradox Ferrari faces: they have a car that can fight over a race distance but not one that can consistently put itself in the right position to capitalise on that strength. It’s a frustrating situation — not least for the passionate fans lining the fences of their home Grand Prix.
Brake Troubles Add to the Challenge
As if chasing raw pace wasn’t enough, both Ferrari drivers reported brake inconsistencies during the day — particularly on approach to Turn 1. It wasn’t catastrophic, but enough to throw off rhythm and unsettle the car under heavy deceleration.
Leclerc, ever analytical, said the issue wasn’t constant but appeared “in waves,” with some laps feeling better than others.
Interestingly, it wasn’t just a Ferrari problem. Lewis Hamilton, now donning red overalls for the first time at Imola, echoed similar concerns. “In FP2, the biggest problem was consistency,” Hamilton explained. “We couldn’t find a steady baseline. Some runs felt good, others didn’t. We’ll go through the data tonight and see where we can improve, especially under braking.”
Hamilton also noted that while the team completed its run plans without interruption — always a positive sign — there was clearly room for refinement. “We’ve got good long-run data now. That’ll help us build a better package for Sunday. But the big push overnight has to be on one-lap performance.”
Engineer Insight: “We Know Where to Look”
Ferrari race engineer Brian Buozzi sounded confident over the team radio late in the session. “We know where to intervene,” he told Leclerc after a final simulation run, referring to braking balance and traction zones that could be optimized before Saturday.
That may sound vague to the untrained ear, but in F1 terms, it usually means the team has isolated a few key variables they believe will unlock performance — whether that’s rear wing levels, diff settings, or brake-by-wire calibration.
Still, identifying the issue is only half the battle. Implementing changes that actually work — under parc fermé conditions and without compromising other elements of the car — is where the real engineering challenge lies.
Can Ferrari Salvage a Strong Saturday?
There’s a path forward for Ferrari — but it’s a narrow one. They’ll need near-perfect execution in FP3 to fine-tune qualifying trim and hope that the track evolution plays in their favour. A bit of cloud cover or a red flag at the right moment could shake things up. But on merit, Ferrari aren’t favourites for the front row.
What they can aim for is to consolidate their position ahead of Aston Martin and Mercedes and put themselves in a strategic spot to challenge on Sunday. The SF-25 might not be the fastest over a single lap, but it’s kind to its tyres and seems stable over longer stints. That could count for a lot if Saturday’s grid shuffles mid-race due to strategy or Safety Cars.
The Bigger Picture
At the end of the day, Ferrari’s 2025 campaign has been about evolution rather than revolution. The SF-25 isn’t a championship-winning car yet, but it’s far from a disaster. What they need now is time — and perhaps a little bit of luck.
For now, Saturday at Imola looks like it will be an uphill battle. But with a driver like Leclerc — hungry, home-grown, and unflinchingly honest — and a legend like Hamilton learning the ropes inside Maranello, the foundations are there.
They just need to find that final tenth. And if they do, expect the red cars to be back at the sharp end — where they belong.
