Has Lewis Hamilton's historic arrival backfired for Ferrari? Team Principal breaks silence on dismal show

Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur acknowledged that the Scuderia’s start to the 2025 Formula 1 season has been far from ideal, following another underwhelming race at the Japanese Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc crossed the line in fourth, while new recruit Lewis Hamilton managed only a seventh-place finish.

Despite showing some pace in the Sprint format—Hamilton secured a win from pole in China—Ferrari have yet to step onto the podium in any of the first three Grands Prix of the season.

Grid Woes Continue as Rivals Pull Ahead

Leclerc’s fourth-place start in Japan was the best grid position Ferrari have managed so far this season in a Grand Prix. In contrast, Red Bull, McLaren, and Mercedes have each had stronger openings, putting Ferrari in a familiar early-season struggle.

“I’m used [to it] because the last two years we started like this,” Vasseur quipped when reflecting on Ferrari’s slow start. “For sure it is not ideal and I would prefer to win the first one. But we don’t need to change the approach from last year as we are almost in the same situation, perhaps a bit worse in terms of pace, and the reaction of the team was very, very strong.”

“We worked as a team, made small step by small step and we have to keep exactly the same approach, but for sure it is not ideal.”

Double Disqualification Still Looms

Ferrari's season was further complicated by a double disqualification in China, which saw Hamilton’s car excluded due to a skid block violation—an issue related to running the car too low. Leclerc managed a fourth and an eighth in his first three races, while Hamilton’s points tally includes only a P7 and P10, excluding the Sprint win.

“We all want to run the car lower, we would all have more downforce in the situation, for everybody but there is a limit," Vasseur explained. "The limit is bottoming and the limit is the regulations.

“We are all spending the weekend on where is the limit and where can we run the car a bit lower and then you are too low. It is the same for everybody and we all know with this type of car, performance is a lot linked to the ride height.

“It is true for us, it is true for everybody, it is true today but it was true for the last two years. We were disqualified in Austin in 2023 with Mercedes, because we were trying to reach the same point. It is not the characteristic of the car this year or the characteristic of the Ferrari, it is true for all the field.”

Mclaren Surge Ahead as Ferrari Sit Fourth

“If last year we did a good step forward from the beginning of the season to the mid-season or whatever, it is not because we found a magic bullet, we would never find something on the car worth three or four tenths," Vasseur stated.

“It’s because you are putting together an area with two or three others, the balance, the driver getting the best from the car. I think yesterday we were not very far away, but it was very difficult for us, but the same could be said for McLaren, it was very hard to put a lap together.

“If you look at Charles, he lost a tenth and a half in the last chicane, and then he lost one tenth in the first corner [in Qualifying]. It is not an excuse and I’m not trying to say we had the best car, but it is exactly the same for Piastri, and exactly the same for everybody.

"It was difficult to get the best from the car and we need to improve on the driveability we call it, to get the best from the package.”

What’s Next for the Prancing Horse?

With Bahrain—home to pre-season testing—coming up, Ferrari will be hoping that familiarity can help them regain momentum. While a championship bid seems distant for now, the Scuderia are betting on consistency, collaboration, and marginal gains to turn their season around.