Ferrari entered the 2025 Formula 1 season with soaring expectations following a strong finish to the previous year and the high-profile arrival of Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes. However, their title challenge has so far faltered, and their recent performance in Miami has only intensified the scrutiny.
Miami Misery Raises Alarm Bells
Ferrari's worst showing of the season unfolded in Miami. Lewis Hamilton could manage no better than eighth place, finishing over a minute behind race winner Oscar Piastri. Charles Leclerc fared slightly better in seventh, just three seconds ahead of his teammate.
With Ferrari set to race on home soil at Imola, followed by Monza in September, the pressure has ramped up. A lacklustre showing in front of the tifosi would only deepen the concerns surrounding their 2025 campaign.
High Hopes, Harsh Reality
Former W Series driver and Sky Sport Italia analyst, Vicky Piria, believes the early optimism surrounding the team’s prospects has made their underwhelming start even more difficult to accept.
“The excitement was huge, but then everything kind of got worse and worse because Miami was pretty bad for Ferrari,” Piria said. “The gap between McLaren and Lewis was a minute, so that definitely was something that Italians did not expect.”
According to Piria, team principal Fred Vasseur had tried to temper expectations. “I think Fred, since he started his journey in Ferrari, he's always been really careful of keeping expectations down to earth. But this year it was different—everybody was really excited. Now everybody is obviously a bit disappointed.”
Questioning the 2025 Car Concept
Despite finishing 2024 on a high note, Ferrari made significant design changes for the 2025 season, a decision that has been increasingly questioned.
Piria added, “The talk of the people is, ‘you finished the season on a high last year, why did you go along and completely change the car?’ The switch from push rod to pull rod, and they changed a lot of the rear suspension... That’s probably the hard point for Ferrari at the moment.”
She pointed out that rear instability and excessive oversteer have been persistent issues, impacting the car’s ability to grip and deliver consistent lap times.
Tifosi Faith Remains Strong
Despite the frustrating start, Piria expects Imola to be filled with support rather than boos.
“At the end of the day, the passion is so strong that I don't believe people will be booing Ferrari,” she said. “People will be definitely cheering Ferrari and hoping for something to happen."
She emphasized that a single turnaround race could reignite belief among the tifosi. “If you think about Lewis Hamilton's sprint win in China, his podium in Miami… it takes a lot of time for the tifosi to really get angry and disappointed, but it does not take a lot of time for them to regain their hopes again."
Crucial Upgrades Incoming
Imola marks the start of the European leg of the season and typically sees teams bring major upgrade packages. With the 2026 regulation overhaul on the horizon, Piria noted that teams may soon be forced to shift their focus toward the future.
“There are obviously some upgrades. I think the feeling is that everybody will really rush into the upgrades in this part of the year because, if you wait, it's probably too late,” she explained.
She stressed how pivotal the next few races—particularly Imola and Barcelona—will be in determining Ferrari’s development trajectory. “If they're so far off in Barcelona, then probably it's better they focus on next year.”
Emilia Romagna GP 2025
Race – Sunday, May 18
Start time: 9:00 a.m. ET
Finish: 11:00 a.m. ET
Broadcast: ESPN, ESPN+, Fubo, Hulu, Sling TV, F1 TV
Fans in the United States can stream the entire Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend on ESPN platforms, along with streaming services like Fubo (which also offers a free trial), Hulu, Sling TV, and F1 TV.