Fourth place locked in after F1 Lusail low point

Ferrari confirmed fourth in 2025 championship after troublesome Qatar weekend

In Qatar, the maths confirmed Ferrari’s fourth place within the Constructors’ Championship, following a weekend that was extraordinarily difficult for the workforce. Workforce Principal Frederic Vasseur defined that discovering the proper setup was made even tougher by the excessive tire pressures mandated by Pirelli to deal with the acute lateral a great deal of Lusail’s quick corners, which have been above the seasonal common, although nonetheless decrease than in Las Vegas. All through the weekend, the drivers struggled with a automobile that was stressed in high-speed sections and understeered in gradual corners, significantly Lewis Hamilton, who discovered it tougher than Charles Leclerc to handle the sunshine rear finish. Lewis acquired some reduction from the retirement of the temperamental ground-effect automobiles, which he had by no means absolutely tailored to.

It’s simple that Ferrari is affected by a basic lack of competitiveness, a difficulty that has continued for the reason that begin of the season and was exacerbated by the choice to halt improvement on the finish of April, brazenly confirmed by Fred Vasseur in Qatar. This admission raises some questions, although not relating to the worth of focusing sources on the 2026 automobile. Growth isn’t just about engaged on the present automobile; it’s about analyzing errors, reinforcing fundamentals, and strengthening simulation and design methodologies—processes that transcend the present rules. As Laurent Mekies defined relating to Crimson Bull, the RB21 was constantly developed “to grasp what had restricted the challenge,” as a way to keep away from repeating the identical errors sooner or later. Ferrari had legitimate causes to cease investing within the SF-25 early, however those self same causes might have justified extending improvement to hint the basis causes of its weaknesses.

A lesson and a warning for the longer term

Trying towards 2026, the FIA and Formulation 1 are additionally contemplating a number of proposals for the longer term. Amongst these is the suggestion to introduce a double obligatory pit cease, which, in Qatar, whereas enforced for security causes, proved largely ineffective when it comes to enhancing the spectacle. Lusail is a monitor that’s notoriously troublesome for overtaking, and the answer doesn’t lie in forcing two tire stops. Quite the opposite, it worsens the state of affairs by shortening stints and permitting drivers to push virtually flat out with out administration, thereby minimizing the variations in tempo between the automobiles. The teachings from Qatar must be rigorously thought-about for the longer term, as ought to McLaren’s expertise, which hopes to keep away from paying too excessive a worth for the errors made at Lusail.

Dec 1, 2025Elena Rossi

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