At the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix, Ferrari arrived hoping to show signs of recovery. Instead, they endured one of their tougher nights — with brake failures, strategic compromises, and frustrated drivers forced into damage control. Given their strong history at street circuits and with drivers like Leclerc and Hamilton, Singapore should have been an opportunity. Instead, it became a reminder of the gaps they still need to fill.
What Went Wrong: Brake Failures, “Lift & Coast,” and Strategy Breakdown
Brake Problems from the Start
From early in the race, both cars were plagued by brake issues — particularly Lewis Hamilton, whose left-front brake began failing in the final laps. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur later admitted that Hamilton’s race was compromised from lap two or three, with him having to “lift and coast” on many braking zones just to nurse the car to the finish.
Hamilton, meanwhile, had been chasing Kimi Antonelli for several laps before the issue worsened. His pace collapsed under the strain, forcing him to back off significantly and cut multiple corners trying to defend — ultimately earning a five-second penalty, relegating him from P7 to P8.
Vasseur defended the team’s decision to let Hamilton continue driving despite the brake trouble, stating that the failure was abrupt and unexpected, exacerbated by Singapore’s heat and constant demands on braking systems.
Leclerc’s Struggle & “Passengers” Comment
Charles Leclerc, after qualifying P7 (behind Hamilton), faced his own set of difficulties. The team made him adopt a “lift-and-coast” regime — effectively reducing braking and pushing sensitivity — to try to preserve the brakes and make the car last to the end.
Late in the race, Leclerc erupted over radio, complaining about having to slow by 200 metres per lap just to protect the hardware. “For fuck’s sake, we are doing 200 metres li-co,” he shouted. Vasseur later conceded that they lost “too much lap time” through these protective tactics, admitting this wasn’t sustainable.
After crossing the line in P6, Leclerc’s tone was blunt:
“We are passengers to the car. … From lap 8, basically, it was all about managing those brakes.”
He said Ferrari simply could not extract more from their current package. The car’s ceiling, in his view, had been reached for that evening.
What the Comments Reveal & What It Says About Ferrari’s State
Hamilton: Frustration & Sympathy
Hamilton, who set the fastest lap of the race despite his mechanical plight, expressed both regret and empathy. He admitted to feeling “pain for the whole team” in recognition of the effort everyone had put in. But he was also unambiguous: the car wasn’t on the same level as the front-runners.
After the race, he lamented that the late brake failure denied him a chance to overtake and salvage more points. He said his soft-tyre stint had shown attacking potential, but mechanical gremlins intervened.
Vasseur: Defensive, but Honest
Vasseur attempted to frame the result as inevitable given the circumstances. He blamed Singapore’s cooling challenges in the dirty air, the stress on brakes in fighting traffic, and the suddenness of the failure. He acknowledged the lift-and-coast compromise was frustrating but argued it was necessary to protect the remaining hardware.
He also emphasized that Ferrari saw pockets of decent pace — especially in clean air — but couldn’t sustain them with traffic or under braking duress.
What This Means Going Forward for Ferrari
Urgency to Address Brake Systems & Cooling Architecture
Ferrari cannot afford recurring brake failures — especially in a season where McLaren are dominant. Singapore exposed how brittle their cooling and braking architecture is under intense stress. Fixing “lift-and-coast” dependence must become a priority, because losing time every lap to protect hardware is a losing equation.
Car Development & Performance Ceiling
Leclerc’s admission of being “passengers to the car” highlights an uncomfortable truth: their development path is not delivering. Until the car’s balance, cooling, or mechanical systems improve substantially, Ferrari risk remaining stuck in P5–P7 territory rather than fighting for wins.
Drivers’ Morale & Internal Alignment
When your top driver is publicly frustrated, and your seven-time champion feels “pain for the team,” morale and tension rise. Ferrari must manage its driver relationships, team messaging, and development expectations carefully — especially if the second half of the season remains uphill.
Constructors Battle & Championship Ambitions
By losing ground in Singapore, Ferrari’s fight for second place in Constructors became harder. Hamilton’s penalty dropped precious points, and Mercedes may capitalize. For Ferrari, preserving what points they can while avoiding collapse becomes essential — but that’s not inspiring for fans or sponsors.
Final Thoughts
Singapore was a brutal night for Ferrari. Brake failures, protective driving modes, lost lap time, and driver frustration combined to deliver a result that looked more like survival than performance.
Leclerc’s candid “passenger” remark may resonate long after the Marina Bay lights fade — because it underlines a deeper issue: currently, Ferrari’s drivers aren’t the limiting factor. Their car is.
If Ferrari want to reclaim their place among winners, they need more than incremental upgrades. They need a reset in cooling, brake design, race resilience, and team cohesion. Singapore was a wake-up call — now, they must respond.
