As 2025 nears, Scuderia Ferrari stands to play an increasingly key role. They face the daunting task of dethroning McLaren as constructors’ champions – something which was within reach last season if not for substantial setbacks from Spain to Italy due to midseason upgrades which took considerable time for Scuderia Ferrari to address, impeding their championship hopes.
Although Ferrari had an active off-season designed to get them ready for championship contention, pre-season testing revealed several issues with their SF-25 challenger. Although problems during testing is normal and integral for engineers in fine-tuning the car, unexpected issues arose in Bahrain that called their performance and handling into question; especially against McLaren’s MCL39 which displayed superior speed.
Urgent Resolutions Required for the SF-25
This situation holds particular importance for Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, who emphasize the need for a car that performs consistently across varied conditions. The current generation cars have demonstrated that limited operational parameters can lead to inconsistent performances, an issue Mercedes has famously grappled with. Therefore, ironing out these issues becomes critical ahead of the season opener in Melbourne.
Leclerc Stresses on Improvement Before Season Begins
On the eve of pre-season tests, Leclerc acknowledged the McLaren threat while stressing its importance for understanding their relative performance while managing expectations due to unknown variables at play. With Lewis Hamilton joining as part of their new teammate roster, further amplifying this requirement and using Leclerc’s experience to guide its development through 2025.
Leclerc provided an honest assessment of Ferrari’s current standing and highlighted how much work remains before Melbourne Grand Prix. With just six weeks until Australian Grand Prix starts, Ferrari must enact final preparation and establish their championship aspirations as quickly as possible – this pivotal moment will provide insight into their winter development progress compared to competitors and set the foundation for 2025 campaign success or failure.