The 2025 Method 1 season started with a lot fanfare at Maranello.
However the early returns haven’t been what Ferrari hoped for.
Lewis Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari for the 2025 marketing campaign injected new life into the legendary workforce, and Hamilton’s win within the F1 Dash race on the Chinese language Grand Prix gave the impression to be the beginning of one thing massive for the Scuderia. However these goals had been dashed the subsequent day, as each Hamilton and Charles Leclerc had been disqualified after ending contained in the factors on the Chinese language Grand Prix.
Now, because the grid heads to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix Ferrari discover themselves in unfamiliar territory: Tied with Williams with 17 factors within the Constructors’ Championship, and sitting fifth within the standings after tiebreakers are utilized.
The final time Ferrari was this far down the desk after two race weekends? That got here again in 2009 once they completed exterior the factors in each the Australian Grand Prix and the Malaysian Grand Prix to open the yr.
By the point the season ended, Ferrari had climbed to fourth within the standings.
The workforce hopes to see the “full potential” of the SF-25 this weekend in Japan.
“The Suzuka Circuit is especially demanding for each the automobiles and the drivers, who nonetheless relish the problem of its distinctive and iconic corners,” mentioned Crew Principal Frederic Vasseur in Ferrari’s media preview. “As for everybody within the workforce, now greater than ever, we should give attention to ourselves with the objective of enabling Charles and Lewis to persistently exploit the total potential of the SF-25, as a result of up to now we’ve got solely managed to try this on Fridays and through the Dash in China.
“Method 1 is all in regards to the particulars from race weekend preparation within the manufacturing unit, to execution on monitor whereas adapting to altering situations through the race. As soon as we’ve got succeeded in doing that, then we may have a clearer concept of the place we stand.”
Suzuka proved fertile floor for the Scuderia a season in the past, as Ferrari locked out the second row within the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix. Carlos Sainz Jr., now with Williams, completed third forward of Leclerc, who crossed the road fourth.
That will supply some hope that Ferrari certainly sees the total potential of the SF-25 this weekend in Japan.
