Winners celebrate, losers explain. And after a highly underwhelming race in Melbourne, Ferrari now finds itself needing to justify the gap to its rivals and respond to the wave of criticism. In the immediate aftermath of the season opener, many have taken aim at the Maranello-based team for its poor showing.

Frederic Vasseur’s squad heads to Shanghai with only five points, a far cry from the expectations set before the race. Ferrari arrived in Melbourne confident that it could challenge McLaren for victory, buoyed by preseason optimism and bold statements.

However, reality told a different story, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finishing behind teams like Racing Bulls, Aston Martin, and Sauber. As a result, many are now demanding answers as early as the Chinese Grand Prix.

Some call the SF-25 “embarrassing”

Among the critics is veteran journalist Leo Turrini, who has long followed Ferrari’s ups and downs. “Yes, it was only the first race. Yes, there are still 23 to go. Yes, last year taught us that comebacks are possible,” he began in his usual column for Quotidiano Nazionale. “But since I am not a regime propagandist, I’ll get straight to the point. Ferrari in Melbourne was objectively embarrassing. Charles Leclerc didn’t have George Russell’s pace, and he was already much slower than Max Verstappen and the two McLarens. Hamilton spent an eternity stuck behind a Williams. Spin it however you want: this approach was a disaster.”

“There is still time to turn things around, but the disappointment is crushing. The SF-25 was unacceptable in Australia, period. We spent an entire winter getting excited, and then what? Will we win next year? We’ll see in China, but let’s be clear—if you finish 2024 close to McLaren, you cannot start 2025 like this with unchanged technical regulations,” Leo Turrini concluded.

A harsh but entirely justified criticism after such a poor debut. Ferrari urgently needs a turnaround, and the chance to return to the track quickly could be beneficial. However, listening to Leclerc, the upcoming weekend in China may be far from a triumphant one.

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Sports journalist and Ferrari insider Leo Turrini revealed on his blog Profondo Rosso that within Ferrari, there is both optimism and pessimism ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 season.

A risk and an added value

The commentator reported “a non-imaginary dialogue between a pessimistic and an optimistic Ferrari member,” expressing the reasoning behind each stance.

Regarding the pessimistic view, it is noted that “many (within Ferrari, ed.) suspect that switching to the Pull-Rod front suspension was a mistake.”

Indeed, after about 10 years, Ferrari’s engineers have opted for a completely different design compared to the previous Push-Rod.

The design chosen for 2025 is expected to provide a significant aerodynamic advantage—at least on paper.

However, the pessimistic Ferrari member emphasizes that “switching to Pull-Rod as a technical solution is not wrong, but doing it in 2025, the last year of the current regulations, is a mistake,” pointing out that Ferrari is the only team making this change for the new car.

This technical decision carries a considerable risk: “having to completely redo all the car’s mechanical setups for each track, without being able to rely on the SF-24’s setup as a baseline, because Push-Rod and Pull-Rod are two completely different worlds,” Leo Turrini’s blog states.

The fear is that “a good part of the 2025 season might be spent just figuring out how to make the Pull-Rod front suspension work correctly, by which time it could already be too late” to fight for the championship.

On the other hand, the optimistic Ferrari member highlighted the emotional impact of Lewis Hamilton’s arrival: “Since Lewis arrived, the atmosphere at the factory has improved significantly,” he reportedly told the Italian journalist, with just a few days ahead of the Australian Grand Prix at the 5.278-kilometre Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne.

The seven-time world champion has lifted morale within the team, bringing a positive energy that was missing in 2024, especially after Enrico Cardile resigned.

“We are ready to win immediately,” was the phrase reportedly spoken by the Ferrari member who is approaching the new Formula 1 season with high expectations.

After reading both versions, which side are you on? Let us know in the comments.

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After the third and final day of winter testing in Bahrain, the calmness and desire to stay low-key were the common denominator in the Sakhir paddock for all ten teams. Especially for the top teams, playing hide and seek is a useful strategy to avoid unnecessary pressure. A logical game, one might say, which inevitably leads every member of any team to avoid talking about the performance on track and to maintain maximum caution at all times, especially when facing rankings and what was seen on the track: factors that, at this point, leave several doubts among insiders. And logically, Ferrari is no exception to this description, as both team principal Frédéric Vasseur and the two drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, preferred not to comment on the car’s performance ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.

Fred Vasseur’s Assessment
At the end of the three-day test, Ferrari’s team boss gave an assessment of the team’s work in Bahrain, emphasizing how difficult it is to draw conclusions given the many variables. He spoke about the growth and feedback on the SF-25, which appears to have confirmed the numbers from the wind tunnel, but did not overly impress the two drivers. The car has great potential in various areas (particularly suspension), but there are also areas where the technicians will need to make adjustments to achieve better balance and pure performance. This is the picture that Leo Turrini discussed in his “Profondo Rosso” blog.

Leo Turrini’s View
The well-known journalist essentially summed up the Sakhir tests, highlighting how difficult it is to make a final judgment and understand the real performance of the teams. However, he admitted that, in his opinion, Ferrari did not impress either the drivers or the technicians. Moreover, according to his information, there will be a lot of work to do at Maranello, although the 24-race calendar will allow everyone to express their potential over the course of the 2025 Formula 1 season.

“Pre-season F1 tests should always be taken with a pinch of salt. No one shows all their cards. Furthermore, this time, the weather conditions in Sakhir were unusual. And the country priest, Fred Vasseur, is absolutely right when he points out that the climate in Melbourne will be completely different. That said, the SF-25 was not up to expectations. Charles Leclerc said it openly. Lewis Hamilton was more cautious, but beyond the media excitement, he wasn’t enthusiastic either. As they say in the jargon, there’s a lot of work to be done. I’ll add that in a 24-race championship, the 24 hours of testing are simply an indication of a clue. But as of today, McLaren is ahead, and Red Bull with Max Verstappen behind the wheel may be too.” – the Italian journalist concluded.

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On the evening of February 18, images of the SF-25, the car with which Scuderia Ferrari will compete in the upcoming F1 season, appeared online and on Ferrari’s social media channels. This unveiling, along with those of other teams, came after the conclusion of the F1-75 event in London, where the official liveries of the championship cars were presented. However, the SF-25 naturally generated much more buzz than its rivals, as it is the car Ferrari is betting everything on to return to championship-winning form and, notably, the first Ferrari driven by Lewis Hamilton.

Appearance and substance
As has been known for some time, the SF-25 features several significant changes compared to the SF-24, which performed well last season. At first glance, the car has a revised color scheme, maintaining the matte red (now darker and accompanied by a considerable amount of white for sponsorship reasons). In terms of engineering, the most notable change is the front suspension, now a pull-rod design, along with various optimizations across different areas of the car to extract maximum performance in all conditions and surpass the development ceiling of its predecessor. These changes affect crucial aerodynamic flow management, thermal dissipation, and other aerodynamic concepts. Just hours after its unveiling, the SF-25 has already made its on-track debut, with Leclerc and Hamilton completing a shakedown at Fiorano in front of team leaders and hundreds of fans lining the fences.

A wave of enthusiasm, according to Leo Turrini
It was a truly enthusiastic debut, reflecting an atmosphere of confidence and optimism in Maranello and beyond—something Leo Turrini highlighted in his blog “Profondo Rosso.” He not only emphasized the excitement but also shared his thoughts on the SF-25, expressing hope for a strong and potentially victorious 2025 season, one that won’t leave Ferrari fans once again drowning in nostalgia.

“It’s been years since expectations have been this high. In the heart of the Motor Valley, there’s an atmosphere… but what an atmosphere! So, here we are: what is this car of yet another dream like? Fred Vasseur […] wasn’t lying when he promised a boldly innovative SF-25. Not just conceptually, but visually as well. The front end is strikingly different. The nose follows the philosophy of technical director Enrico Cardile, particularly in terms of suspension. The change compared to 2024 is drastic. […] The same applies to the car’s floor. […] Attention must also be paid to the transmission. […] Due to regulatory constraints (with engines frozen), there are zero—or almost zero—changes to the power unit. […] Last year, Ferrari’s engine was on par with Honda’s in the Red Bull and Mercedes’ in the McLaren. That won’t be where the battle is fought. […] May the racing gods be on our side.

P.S. If things go badly again, ‘Balorda Nostalgia’ by Sanremo artist Olly becomes Ferrari’s official anthem.”

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“The 677, on paper, is very good.” With these words, Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur recently spoke about the SF-25, the car that, after a fluctuating but overall positive 2024 season (where the Scuderia fought for the constructors’ title until the final race), will aim to bring the team back to championship glory. According to our information, Ferrari’s new car is progressing without issues and on schedule: as reported exclusively in December, the chassis has passed the crash tests, the car’s assembly is going well, and the power unit is about to be installed after the final bench tests on the few modified accessory parts compared to the previous specification.

So many new features…

The SF-25 will have many differences from its predecessor to overcome its limitations, refine an almost maxed-out development, and improve performance in weaker areas—especially in achieving one-lap speed, where getting the tires up to temperature and extracting the package’s full potential was a struggle. The car will feature a new chassis with a revised driver position and a new front pull-rod suspension for clear dynamic benefits. There will also be a new, shorter gearbox housing with a different layout for the rear suspension linkages, optimizing traction and improving tire management.

Innovation and fierce rivalry

A potentially competitive car will be entrusted to Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton—two top-tier drivers who, without a doubt, will be capable of extracting its full potential and pushing it to the limit. They will do so not only because of their natural instinct but also to perform at their best in every situation, aiming to outdo their teammate and establish internal supremacy. Lewis Hamilton will rely on his decorated career, while Leclerc will aim to prove to the world that, just as he ended Sebastian Vettel’s dominance at Ferrari in 2019, he can do the same to a seven-time world champion—solidifying his status as a top driver, despite never having had a truly race-winning car.

Leo Turrini also touched on this intriguing intra-team battle in his blog Profondo Rosso:

“2019. Andrea Bertolini takes Charles Leclerc aside and says: ‘Go to Australia, it’s your Ferrari debut, Sebastian Vettel is a four-time world champion. Take it easy.’ Charles Leclerc’s response: ‘I’ll crush Seb.’ I don’t think Leclerc’s attitude toward Lewis will be any different. He’ll want to stay ahead of him, and Hamilton will want the same. […] Your teammate is your first rival. Leclerc wasn’t surprised by the warm welcome Lewis received. He knew he’d have to share the garage with one of the most charismatic figures in the sport. […] For Carletto, this is a huge motivation. He won’t admit it, […] but sending the Baronetto into retirement, after having already initiated Vettel’s exit, is his goal. Leclerc won’t give up the keys to Maranello so easily.”

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The 2025 F1 season is just around the corner, and all the teams are already preparing for the championship, which will kick off next March. Some previews of the season have already emerged during the Abu Dhabi tests, where attention was focused on drivers debuting with their new teams: Bortoleto and Hulkenberg at Sauber and Esteban Ocon at Haas. However, almost all the attention was drawn to the not entirely official debut of Carlos Sainz with Williams—a transfer that, after Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, caused quite a stir, albeit often in a negative sense.

Williams: fallback or deliberate choice?

Carlos himself recently spoke about his new life as a Williams driver—a reality certainly different from his time at Ferrari. He admitted that his first year in Grove will be tough, as, beyond the challenges already faced in the recent past, the British team will not invest many resources in the 2025 car, focusing instead on the new 2026 regulations. This adds to the psychological challenges he faced after being dropped by Ferrari and failing to secure a seat with Mercedes or Red Bull.

In addition to Carlos Sainz, Leo Turrini also discussed the Spaniard’s decision to join the Grove team on his blog Profondo Rosso. According to Turrini, this move can be interpreted in two ways: either as a lack of alternatives or as a result of deep trust (and knowledge of the project) from the number 55 driver.

“Between 2022 and 2024, only two drivers won at least one GP. One is named Max Verstappen. The other is Carlos Sainz. One […] will drive a car, the Red Bull, that it would be foolish to exclude from championship predictions. The other has ended up at Williams, a team that hasn’t won a GP since 2012 or a championship since 1997 […] Either those who consider Carlitos an excellent driver are wrong. […] To me, it was obvious that the Spaniard, after the launch of the Lewis Hamilton operation at Ferrari, would end up at Mercedes or Red Bull. […] Or. Sainz believes that Williams can rise from the ashes like McLaren. […] The performance gaps at the top have become so ‘narrow’ that climbing back up is not impossible.”

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The 2025 Formula One season is set to begin in two months. But even before the official start, it seems to have one recurring theme that will follow it throughout: the arrival of Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, the decade’s move for the Circus, capable of uniting the most successful driver and team of all time. A dream for many, which, after years of words and denials, became official last February. But beyond fulfilling many people’s dreams, it has also made the dreams of the British driver himself come true, as he had never hidden his desire to wear red. A move that, besides shocking the world and causing a domino effect in the market, has brought various benefits to Ferrari that the seven-time world champion will ensure.

Return to success
Not only that, but in addition to causing a stir, with this move, the Scuderia sent an important message to its rivals, showing the desire to return to winning after years of drought. To do so, it lined up several moves, with the Lewis Hamilton affair being the final step: the arrival of Fréd Vasseur, Loic Serra, and the renewal of Charles Leclerc, who, together with the technical development of the car, are putting Ferrari back on the path to success. It was precisely the long drought from victories that Italian journalist and Ferrari insider Leo Turrini spoke about in his blog “Profondo Rosso,” highlighting how the former Mercedes driver will face a huge challenge where important names from past and present motorsport have failed.

“Lewis Hamilton has reached the age of 40. I don’t mean any disrespect by noting that in October, Ferrari risks becoming… of legal age: it will have been 18 years since a driver dressed in Red became world champion. […] I believe the Baron is aware of the challenge ahead. Alonso failed. Vettel failed. Leclerc still hasn’t made it. In my opinion, it wasn’t their fault, just as between Scheckter and Schumi, it wasn’t Alboreto’s, Prost’s, Mansell’s, or Alesi’s fault…”

Beware of the boomerang
However, the well-known journalist emphasized how Sir Lewis Hamilton must be cautious and meet expectations to avoid the boomerang effect after the enormous expectations (similar to those surrounding Michael Schumacher‘s arrival in 1996) that his move to Ferrari is creating in Italy and around the world.

“Once he sits in the Ferrari seat, only the driver will matter. […] Here, one must be wary of the Boomerang effect. Let me explain. He is already feeling the enormous expectation. […] There is the same sense of anticipation that accompanied Schumi’s arrival at the dawn of 1996. A lifetime has passed. Or, as Mengoni would say, two lifetimes. And we are once again in the middle of the desert. Waiting for the miracle.” – the Italian journalist concluded.

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The 2025 Formula 1 season is just around the corner, and all teams are working at full capacity to prepare for the upcoming championship. Some glimpses of what’s to come were seen during the post-season tests in Abu Dhabi at the 5.281-kilometre Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island, where attention focused on drivers debuting with their new teams: Carlos Sainz at Williams, Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber, and Esteban Ocon at Haas. However, despite changing teams, Lewis Hamilton hasn’t yet experienced Ferrari, which instead entrusted the car to Charles Leclerc (for tire tests) and reserve drivers Arthur Leclerc and Antonio Fuoco.

Lewis Hamilton absent… but present
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion was notably absent, not participating in the tests with either Mercedes or Ferrari, as he wasn’t authorized to begin work with the Scuderia before his contract with Stuttgart expired. Thus, his debut in the red suit will come in 2025, when he is officially a Ferrari driver. Yet, even without being in the Ferrari garage, Sir Lewis is already a central topic within his new team, both for recent events and for discussions at the Scuderia’s Christmas lunch, where the British driver was the focus of many questions directed at team principal Fred Vasseur.

Italian journalist and Ferrari insider Leo Turrini discussed “The Hammer’s” arrival in Italy on his blog “Profondo Rosso,” emphasizing that no driver with a comparable résumé has ever driven for Ferrari, and only one driver older than him (40 years in January) has ever won a title.

“On January 7, Hamilton will turn 40. Perhaps we need to start there […] to try to understand the expectations and fears surrounding his arrival at Maranello. […] Never before has a Ferrari driver come with credentials like his. […] Only once has a driver older than him won the championship in a Ferrari: Juan Manuel Fangio. […] Today, the grid is dominated by the PlayStation Generation. Verstappen is a legend, Norris and Piastri are lurking, and Bearman, Bortoleto, and Kimi Antonelli are on their way. […] And then there’s Charles Leclerc, who is twelve years younger than his new teammate…”

Lewis, the ultimate challenge
Leo Turrini also pointed out that Lewis Hamilton will aim for the ultimate challenge: returning to success and clinching an eighth title, cementing his legacy with Ferrari, driven by his undiminished talent and a promise from chairman John Elkann to deliver success with two top-tier drivers.

“Lewis Hamilton won’t stop without giving everything he has for the ultimate achievement: reaching eight titles. […] Ferrari at 40 is the final gamble, the ultimate act of poetic courage. Ferrari isn’t in a better position either. […] The Lady in Red hasn’t been in contention for a generation. […] Hamilton […] may be slightly less sharp in qualifying than he once was, but his talent remains intact, as does his physical condition. Add enormous motivation, and the cocktail is perfect. […] In January, he’ll make his debut in a Ferrari […] he can’t wait. […] After the deal was made official […] I had a chat with John Elkann. I told him: with drivers like Hamilton and Leclerc, you can’t not give them a winning car. […] His response was a promise.” – the Italian journalist concluded.

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The 2024 Formula 1 season concluded just a few weeks ago, and the pinnacle of motorsport is already looking ahead to the next championship. The post-season tests in Abu Dhabi provided a glimpse of what’s to come. Specifically, attention during the sessions was focused on drivers debuting with their new teams: Carlos Sainz at Williams, Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber, and Esteban Ocon at Haas. Ferrari, meanwhile, entrusted its two cars to Charles Leclerc (for tire testing) and reserve drivers Arthur Leclerc and Antonio Fuoco, who deepened their familiarity with the car after months of simulator work.

Lewis Hamilton absent… but present
Notably absent was Lewis Hamilton, who did not participate in the tests with Mercedes, his former team, nor with Ferrari, his new team. As is well known, he could not begin work with Ferrari before the expiration of his contract with Mercedes on December 31. Thus, his debut with the Scuderia will only occur in 2025, when he officially becomes a Ferrari driver. Yet, even without wearing red just yet, Lewis is already the focal point of discussions within his new team. This was evident from recent months and during Ferrari’s Christmas luncheon, where the British driver was the subject of many questions posed by members of the motorsport media to team principal Frederic Vasseur. Leo Turrini also discussed Lewis Hamilton’s arrival in Italy on his blog “Profondo Rosso.”

Lewis Hamilton – Charles Leclerc, a return to the past…
The renowned journalist reported that the atmosphere in Maranello awaiting the former Mercedes driver is highly charged, evoking memories of times gone by. Additionally, he acknowledged that Lewis Hamilton’s arrival, and the resulting sacrifice of Carlos Sainz, was a deliberate choice recently defended by Fred Vasseur.

“Hamilton-Leclerc. Strictly in alphabetical order. […] As you can imagine, even these days, around here in Maranello and its surroundings, nothing else is being talked about. And now that Vasseur, radiating bonhomie from every claw, has defended the decision to sacrifice Sainz on the altar of Lewis, yes, everyone is wondering how things will work between the two. […] At a glance, it hasn’t felt like this since the Mansell-Prost days in 1990.”

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The Las Vegas night sparkled with plenty of drama during the penultimate round of the 2024 championship. The sparks from the cars on the Strip’s asphalt were undoubtedly captivating, but the ones ignited within Ferrari were equally intense. These stemmed from an alleged violation of team orders by Carlos Sainz, which left Charles Leclerc fuming. The tensions were likely exacerbated by Ferrari’s disappointing weekend: the SF-24 struggled significantly, with poor tire performance and low temperatures. As a result, the team was outpaced by Mercedes and had to settle for third and fourth places, though they did manage to reduce their gap to McLaren in the constructors’ standings.

The battle for the podium brought Ferrari’s two drivers into conflict. Charles Leclerc, at least based on the information available, appeared more compliant with team orders, while Carlos Sainz, it seems, violated an agreement by overtaking Charles, infuriating the Monegasque driver. Team radio exchanges were heated, both at the second pit stop and after the race. Upon pitting for hard tires, Charles Leclerc returned to the track reassured by the team that “Carlos has been told not to overtake.” But reality played out differently: Carlos Sainz, with warmer tires after a pit stop delayed due to unprepared mechanics, overtook Charles Leclerc on his out-lap and secured the podium. This escalation in tension culminated in post-race discussions, even though switching their positions wouldn’t have altered the final outcome for Ferrari.

The tensions, fueled by individual ambitions and not new to this pairing, should have been anticipated by Ferrari. The team, however, also bears some responsibility. It’s not hard to see why Carlos Sainz might eventually act in his own interest, particularly after spending the year as the team’s lame-duck driver, making way for Lewis Hamilton. Carlos Sainz’s treatment—marked by the farce of a renewal at the end of 2023, a lack of recognition for years of work during tough times, and a forced move to Williams—may not have sat well with the Spaniard. Facing the end of his Ferrari journey, Sainz might now be prioritizing his interests, even at the cost of upsetting his teammate or stirring discontent within the team.

This apparent shift in Carlos Sainz’s approach, or perhaps just a sharpening of his usual style, was discussed by Leo Turrini in his blog *”Profondo Rosso.”* Leo Turrini touched briefly on the Las Vegas tensions but highlighted an intriguing angle: Ferrari, in its decision to welcome Hamilton, had to choose between letting go of Carlos Sainz or Charles Leclerc. The choice fell on the Spaniard, reportedly due to certain behaviors that did not sit well with the company’s leadership.

“Am I siding with Sainz or Leclerc? […] Both Carlitos and Carletto have reasons and faults, as I’ve explained. The team wasn’t harmed in Nevada. […] It was clear, however, that one Ferrari driver didn’t help the other. That said, […] I ask those who claim to be staunch Sainz supporters: don’t you wonder why the company, when choosing to bet on Hamilton, opted to keep Leclerc over Sainz? Can’t you see that something about the Spaniard’s behavior over the years didn’t sit right? […] This isn’t about whether signing Lewis was the right call. […] But whoever brought in Hamilton chose to drop Carlos over Charles.”

While these tensions will soon come to an end, they raise significant questions about Ferrari’s future and the harmony of its 2025 driver lineup. If Leclerc has struggled this much with Sainz’s presence, how will he handle coexisting with Lewis Hamilton, who surpasses him in every metric—from career achievements to fame, charisma, and experience?

“If Leclerc has suffered psychologically this much with Sainz, […] how will he cope with sharing the team with a legend like Lewis Hamilton? That’s the real question. You might think Lewis isn’t as dominant in qualifying anymore, but then he pulls off a race like Las Vegas…”

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