Ferrari entered the 2025 season with high expectation. A refreshed driver lineup, strong legacy and serious ambition suggested a full-blown push for glory. Instead, the year has turned tougher than planned. Results lag, pace fluctuates, errors creep in. Team principal Frédéric Vasseur has acknowledged the issues while also asking for calm and clarity. The contrast between promise and reality is clear and Vasseur’s comments give insight into how Ferrari view the situation.
How the season has gone
Early in 2025, Ferrari looked competitive. They showed pace in certain sessions, put strong laps together, and were expected to fight at the front. But as the season progressed the picture changed.
Constructors’ points tell the story: Ferrari started the year thinking second place was within reach. Two weeks ago they sat second in the standings. Now they are fourth and trailing significantly. After the Las Vegas Grand Prix they were 53 points behind second place and had dropped below Mercedes and Red Bull.
Their car, the SF-25, has shown flashes of promise but also recurring problems: they have struggled with qualifying in tricky conditions, tyre warm up, and long-run degradation in races. Vasseur pointed out:
“For sure we are not in a situation that we didn’t score points the last weekend. But for me, disaster is not the right word – the tough side is that the last two weekends we scored six or seven points on two weekends.”
For a team used to fighting for wins, that is a concerning performance. The fact Ferrari once held second raises the question of “what changed”. Some of the answers lie in consistency, car behaviour and setup sensitivity.
Vasseur’s comments
Vasseur’s public remarks attempt to balance realism with motivation. He stated:
“It’s not a complete disaster – for me, disaster isn’t the right word.”
He also added:
“For sure we have to improve on performance, but it is clear it is more about the way we build up the weekend.”
On dealing with internal pressure and keeping the team focused:
“But it is our DNA that we want to get more in any case. And I think … Max [Verstappen], he will try also to get more from his team, from everybody to do a better job. This is the DNA of everybody into the paddock, it’s not a drama.”
On driver frustration and making public comments:
“When you have P20 starting, for sure the race is difficult … let’s calm down. To jump out of the car and to make the first comment, it’s always a bit too much – and it’s this case after the game.”
These quotes reveal a few themes: error acknowledgement (we must improve), psychological control (stay calm, avoid over-reaction), and long-term focus (DNA, building weekends right). Vasseur is resisting panic but is under pressure.
Why the season looks tough
Ferrari’s challenges stem from multiple factors:
Car behaviour and setup sensitivity
The SF-25 has proved tricky to set up. Vasseur acknowledged:
“We’ve made some mistakes with the car, but we know where to improve.”
Qualifying struggles keep hampering them. At Las Vegas Leclerc described the car as one he “will not miss”. The team often loses time when grip falls away or conditions shift.
Execution and consistency
Pace exists, practice sessions show it. But converting that into strong qualifying and race results has been inconsistent. Vasseur pointed out the issue lies not only in the speed but in how they build the weekend. Mistakes accumulate: set-up, strategy, tyre warm-up.
External competition and changed order
While Ferrari struggles, rivals have progressed. McLaren raced away, Red Bull and Verstappen got back to winning ways and Mercedes regained strength with both of their drivers. What looked like a three-horse race between Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull has became more of a two-horse race between Mercedes and Red Bull.
What this means moving forward
With the season heading into its final phase, Ferrari’s path becomes more defined:
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Clean weekends: Qualifying mishaps must reduce. Starting mid-pack costs pace, tyre life, strategy flexibility.
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Convert pace to results: They must take laps where the car is good and extract the maximum. Fewer wasted points.
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Internal focus over external noise: Vasseur’s call for calm and internal cohesion becomes critical. Media pressure is high; the team can’t implode from within.
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Next-generation preparation: With a major regulation change coming in 2026, Ferrari must align their 2025 work not only for this year’s race results but for next year’s car. Vasseur referenced this orientation.
In Vasseur’s words:
“I fully understand that the drivers want more, and believe me, I am also quite strict during Monday morning meetings at the factory.”
This suggests a shift to prioritising process over emotion.
Final thoughts
Frédéric Vasseur’s comments highlight the dual reality at Ferrari: a season below expectation but not a catastrophe. His refusal to use the word “disaster” does not mean the team’s position is comfortable. It means the team still believes in upside, still sees foundation for next year. For fans and observers that means patience is the watchword: pace may return, but only if execution, setup and strategy improve.
Ferrari’s season has not met expectation. They have lost ground to rivals, the car has shown weaknesses, and mistakes have piled up. The remaining races matter less for the title and more for momentum, confidence and preparation for 2026. Vasseur’s leadership now focuses on refinement, less hype, more detail. If Ferrari can stabilise their performance and avoid major errors, the season may be rescued as one of transition rather than failure. If not, the gap to the front will widen further.
