By Happypal 
As Ferrari faces mounting pressure from Red Bull and Mercedes, the Scuderia’s 2025 season is turning into a tense ride. With Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz struggling to find balance, the iconic Italian team must rediscover control before the car drives their destiny.
Introduction: Ferrari’s Bumpy Ride to the End of 2025
Few phrases capture Ferrari’s current predicament better than Charles Leclerc’s lament:
“At the moment it just feels like we are passengers to the car.”
Once again, Ferrari finds itself in the midst of turbulence — not from the engine, but from expectations. As the 2025 Formula 1 season nears its conclusion, the Scuderia faces renewed pressure from Red Bull’s relentless dominance and a resurgent Mercedes, both of whom have found late-season rhythm that Ferrari can only envy.
But how did the most historic team in Formula 1 arrive at this crossroads yet again? Can they salvage pride — or even podiums — from a year that began with promise but seems to be ending in frustration?
This is a deep dive into Ferrari’s late-season struggles, internal challenges, and the road ahead before the revolutionary 2026 regulations shake the grid once more.
The State of Ferrari: Promise Meets Reality
Ferrari entered 2025 determined to end the long championship drought stretching back to 2007. With Frederic Vasseur at the helm and both Leclerc and Sainz retained for another season, optimism filled Maranello.
The SF-25 was touted as a more stable, downforce-efficient machine — a car that could finally close the gap to Red Bull’s RB21. And for a moment, it seemed possible. The early races brought podiums, consistent points, and flashes of genuine pace.
But as the season unfolded, cracks began to appear:
- Inconsistency under pressure: Qualifying brilliance often turned to race-day frustration.
- Tyre degradation: Ferrari continued to battle excessive tyre wear compared to rivals.
- Setup confusion: Drivers often reported the car’s balance changing unpredictably between sessions.
By the time the calendar reached Austin, Leclerc’s words summed up the team’s growing helplessness — Ferrari were no longer driving their car. They were riding it.
“Passengers to the Car”: What Leclerc Really Meant
Leclerc’s quote wasn’t just emotional frustration; it was a technical truth.
Ferrari’s drivers have repeatedly struggled to understand the SF-25’s handling window. On certain circuits, particularly those with medium-speed corners, the car behaves differently from session to session — even without major setup changes.
In technical terms:
- The rear instability under load makes mid-corner corrections unpredictable.
- The aero balance shifts with fuel load and temperature, unsettling driver confidence.
- Power delivery, though strong, exacerbates traction loss at corner exits.
When Leclerc says, “We are passengers,” he’s describing a car that refuses to respond consistently — a nightmare for drivers who rely on predictability to push limits.
Sainz’s Side of the Story: Controlled Frustration
Carlos Sainz, ever the analytical racer, has echoed similar concerns, albeit in a more measured tone.
“We’ve had weekends where the pace was there, but understanding it is another thing entirely.”
Sainz has often been Ferrari’s data-driven stabilizer — the one dissecting race traces and telemetry to find order in chaos. Yet even he has admitted that 2025 has tested his patience.
At circuits like Suzuka and Zandvoort, Ferrari looked strong in practice but faded during the race. The lack of correlation between simulation data and on-track performance remains a core issue.
In short: the car’s potential exists — but unlocking it consistently has become Ferrari’s greatest puzzle.
Red Bull’s Dominance and Mercedes’ Revival
Ferrari’s struggles have been amplified by their rivals’ resurgence.
Red Bull: Still the Benchmark
Even with internal politics and occasional reliability concerns, Red Bull’s RB21 continues to set the pace. Max Verstappen’s control of the championship reflects a car that remains balanced, efficient, and adaptable across all conditions.
Mercedes: The Rising Threat
After a sluggish start, Mercedes’ upgrades introduced at Silverstone transformed their W15. Improved aerodynamic flow and tyre management have seen Lewis Hamilton and George Russell regularly out-scoring Ferrari since the mid-season break.
For Ferrari, the implications are clear: even if Red Bull stumbles, Mercedes is ready to capitalize.
Inside Maranello: Leadership and Pressure
Ferrari’s internal structure has evolved significantly under team principal Fred Vasseur, who succeeded Mattia Binotto with a promise of stability and long-term planning.
However, the pressure from the Tifosi and Italian media is unrelenting. Each disappointing weekend revives the same narrative: “When will Ferrari return to glory?”
Vasseur’s Balancing Act
Vasseur has focused on:
- Streamlining decision-making processes.
- Strengthening collaboration between aerodynamic and mechanical departments.
- Introducing a calmer, data-first culture to offset Ferrari’s historical emotional swings.
Yet, even his pragmatic approach can’t shield the team from the weight of expectation.
The Technical Reality: Where Ferrari Falls Behind
Despite visible improvements from 2024, Ferrari still trails in several key performance areas:
| Area | Red Bull | Mercedes | Ferrari |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerodynamic Efficiency | Excellent | Strong | Inconsistent |
| Tyre Degradation | Minimal | Moderate | High |
| Cornering Stability | Balanced | Predictable | Unstable |
| Race Pace Consistency | Strong | Improving | Variable |
| Strategic Execution | Sharp | Reliable | Reactive |
In the era of ground-effect aerodynamics, even small imbalances translate into massive time losses per lap. Ferrari’s car struggles to generate consistent downforce without upsetting the balance — especially on circuits with elevation change or heavy braking zones.
Psychological Toll: The Weight of Red
Ferrari’s history is both a blessing and a burden. Every driver who dons the red suit understands the expectation: to win.
When results fall short, the scrutiny intensifies. Leclerc’s body language post-race — the headshakes, the sighs, the brief radio silence — speaks volumes about a driver desperate for control in a car that won’t comply.
Sainz, meanwhile, approaches it with detached logic, focusing on process and data. But behind both personalities lies the same truth: Ferrari’s 2025 campaign has become mentally draining.
Strategy Woes: Old Habits Die Hard
Even when Ferrari’s car shows pace, strategy often undermines it. The team has improved tactically under Vasseur, but moments of hesitation still occur — notably at Singapore and Canada, where indecisive pit calls cost valuable points.
Fans still recall the haunting radio exchanges of previous seasons:
“Box now?”
“Stay out, stay out! Too late!”
While Ferrari’s engineers have made progress in predictive race modeling, the team’s reactive approach continues to contrast sharply with Red Bull’s ruthless precision.
The Battle Within: Leclerc vs Sainz
Though publicly united, Ferrari’s driver dynamic adds another layer of complexity.
- Leclerc remains Ferrari’s emotional centerpiece — the future world champion they hope to build around.
- Sainz, however, has matched or even outperformed him in certain races, proving his consistency and technical sharpness.
This healthy rivalry pushes both drivers, but it can also complicate strategic decisions when the team must prioritize one for podium chances.
Looking Ahead: What Can Ferrari Salvage?
With only a handful of races left, Ferrari’s objectives are realistic rather than idealistic:
- Secure P2 in the Constructors’ Championship
– Mercedes is closing fast; every point matters. - Find Reliability
– Power-unit failures and gearbox concerns must be mitigated. - Data for 2026
– Every race is a testing ground for next year’s regulations.
Even a few strong podiums would restore morale heading into the winter break — a psychological win if not a title one.
The Bigger Picture: Preparing for 2026
The upcoming 2026 regulation reset looms large. With major changes to power units, aerodynamics, and sustainability targets, Ferrari must ensure they’re not simply reacting — but innovating.
Vasseur has confirmed that development on the 2026 chassis is already underway, with lessons from the SF-25 feeding directly into next-generation design.
If Ferrari can learn from 2025’s missteps, they may finally align their engineering brilliance with consistent execution.
Fan Reactions: Frustration and Faith
The Ferrari fanbase — the Tifosi — remains among the most passionate in sports. Social media is filled with both frustration and unwavering loyalty:
“We’ve been here before, but we’ll never stop believing in the red.”
“It’s painful, but Ferrari is part of Formula 1’s soul.”
Despite the disappointment, fans still pack grandstands in red. They know that history tends to swing in cycles — and that Ferrari’s resurgence, when it arrives, will be glorious.
Expert Analysis: Can Ferrari Turn It Around?
F1 analysts remain cautiously optimistic.
- Sky Sports’ David Croft (paraphrased): “Ferrari has the talent and infrastructure; it’s execution and confidence that need rebuilding.”
- Technical insiders note that Ferrari’s simulation correlation is improving, meaning 2026 could mark a reset moment similar to Mercedes’ 2014 breakthrough.
The key lies in learning, not reacting.
Lessons from 2025: What Ferrari Must Fix
- Consistency Over Brilliance — It’s not about being fastest occasionally, but steady every weekend.
- Confidence in Strategy — Split-second decisions win or lose races.
- Aerodynamic Discipline — Stability is more valuable than peak downforce.
- Driver Unity — Harness competition between Leclerc and Sainz into collective progress.
- Calm in Crisis — The best teams perform their best when pressure peaks.
If Ferrari embraces these lessons, 2026 might finally see them return to championship contention.
Conclusion: From Passengers to Pilots
Ferrari’s 2025 campaign has been defined by frustration, introspection, and flashes of brilliance that remind us why the team still commands global fascination.
Leclerc’s haunting line — “We are passengers to the car” — encapsulates the team’s loss of control, but also its awareness. The first step to change is recognition, and Ferrari seems to have reached that point.
Now comes the hard part: turning knowledge into transformation.
Because at Ferrari, mediocrity is never acceptable — only victory is.