The mood surrounding Lewis Hamilton`s performance for Ferrari at Imola swung dramatically within just 24 hours.
Saturday presented a bleak picture: Charles Leclerc and Hamilton qualified a disappointing 11th and 12th, failing to reach Q3. This performance was particularly concerning as only Haas and Sauber were slower than Ferrari, an almost unthinkable situation for the Scuderia, especially at a track near their Maranello base. Hamilton described his feelings on Saturday as `devastated.`
However, Sunday brought a significant shift in mood. Hamilton climbed to fourth place, benefiting from an alternative tire strategy and crucial calls from the Ferrari pit wall during a late safety car, which propelled him forward.
Hamilton felt this recovery drive was even more rewarding than his sprint race win earlier in the season at the Chinese Grand Prix.
Reflecting on the race, Hamilton stated, `China was pretty great, but I would say this one is better.` He elaborated on his preference for fighting through the field, a style he enjoyed since childhood, finding it more satisfying than leading from the start. He called it an `absolutely mega race` with `tons` of positives.
Chief among these positives was the strategy: `It was really fantastic. They made great calls. Didn`t put a foot wrong there.` He also felt a strong connection with the car, similar to China, describing a `real synergy.` He believed the setup was excellent and that their performance had improved, suggesting a strong qualifying result could have led to a podium fight, which hadn`t seemed possible initially.
While it was a strong recovery, it`s important to maintain perspective. The weekend overall highlighted Ferrari`s lack of outright pace, and they weren`t genuine podium contenders based purely on speed. Hamilton is known for moods influenced by recent results, and his drive clearly benefited from the satisfaction of gaining positions late on.
The safety car played a crucial role, arriving at a perfect time for Hamilton but proving detrimental to others, notably Fernando Alonso, who was heard expressing frustration over his perceived misfortune.
Conversely, the safety car hindered Hamilton`s teammate, Charles Leclerc. His choice not to pit for fresh tires left him vulnerable to faster cars like Alex Albon`s Williams in the final laps. Leclerc, often seen as embodying Ferrari`s recent struggles, offered a more reserved assessment of the weekend.
He described the race as one requiring aggressive driving `with the heart` and `putting the elbows out.` Acknowledging this pushed him `very much on the limit, sometimes a little bit over,` he stressed, `when you are starting P11… as a driver, I just cannot accept the situation we are in.`
This frustration is likely familiar for Leclerc. A year prior, he stood on the Imola podium behind Verstappen and Norris. This year, he departed 85 points adrift of championship leader Oscar Piastri, with Ferrari sitting fourth in the constructors` standings, a significant 165 points behind Piastri`s McLaren team.
This season wasn`t meant to unfold like this. Following a close fight for the constructors` championship with McLaren last year and the high-profile signing of Hamilton, Ferrari entered the season expecting to compete for the title. Instead, 2025 feels more like damage limitation.
Adding to the frustration is the belief that the SF-25 still has untapped potential. When asked when the car performs best, Leclerc replied, `In the race, but before that, it`s not there. We don`t understand why yet.`
This contrasts sharply with last year, where the team seemed to grasp the car`s optimal performance window. Leclerc led Ferrari`s improved form post-summer break, becoming a much stronger contender. The key was finding a balance: strong in qualifying but even better in races. This gave Leclerc, known for his single-lap pace, a platform to fight for wins, unlike previous years where qualifying speed didn`t translate to race pace, often leading to errors under pressure.
Wins for Leclerc in Monza and Austin, and for Carlos Sainz in Mexico, showcased the potential of a well-rounded car. This year, that balance seems lost. Hamilton has pointed to changes made after his China sprint win as detrimental to performance, with tire warm-up identified as a primary difficulty this season.
Team principal Frédéric Vasseur acknowledged the qualifying struggle, stating, `It`s clear that we are trying to extract the best from the car on Saturday… The last two weekends, we didn`t improve on the [last tire] set in quali. There is a bit of frustration for us. For sure, we need to put all our effort on this.`
For the tifosi, there`s hope that resolving the qualifying pace issue could bring a rapid improvement in overall results.
Given the qualifying difficulties, the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix presents a significant challenge. The tight Monte Carlo street circuit places immense importance on qualifying position, a factor unlikely to change despite the new mandatory two-stop strategy aimed at improving the race itself.
Leclerc ended his long-standing Monaco jinx last year with a win, but he anticipates a tougher time this year. He forecast `A very difficult weekend` in the Principality, believing `Monaco is exposing quite a few weaknesses of our car.` However, he added that the unique demands and risks of Monaco qualifying mean `many things that you cannot really expect,` and hoped for a surprise.
Dominic Ashworth