The 2025 Australian Grand Prix kicked off Ferrari’s season on a sour note, as the Maranello team scored their lowest season opener points in recent history.
Ferrari’s Disastrous Weekend at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix
The 2025 Formula 1 season opener at Albert Park was anticipated with high hopes, especially for Scuderia Ferrari, boasting a new driver lineup of seasoned champion Lewis Hamilton and steadfast Charles Leclerc.
However, the chaotic and rain-soaked race unfolded unfavourably for the Maranello team, managing only five points – their poorest season start in recent history.
Ferrari’s duo crossed the finish line in P8 and P10, with Hamilton rounding out the top 10.
Qualifying Woes: A Fourth-Row Lockout
Ferrari’s troubles began during Saturday’s qualifying session. Both Leclerc and Hamilton struggled to find pace, resulting in a disappointing lockout of the fourth row.
Leclerc managed to secure the seventh spot on the grid, with Hamilton right behind in eighth. This lackluster performance raised concerns about the SF-25’s competitiveness and the drivers’ adaptation to the new machinery.
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Early Challenges and Strategic Missteps
The race started under treacherous conditions, leading to multiple incidents, including the early retirements of Racing Bull’s Isack Hadjar, Alpine’s Jack Doohan and Williams’ Carlos Sainz.
Leclerc capitalised on the initial chaos, advancing from his seventh-place start to fifth.
However, the unpredictable weather transformed the event into a strategic conundrum. Ferrari’s decisions during the transitions between intermediate and slick tyres proved less than optimal, undermining their competitive edge.
Driver Struggles and Communication Breakdowns
Both Ferrari drivers grappled with the challenging conditions and internal team dynamics. Leclerc contended with water in his cockpit, impairing visibility and comfort.
Concurrently, Hamilton, adapting to the SF-25’s unique characteristics after his tenure with Mercedes, faced difficulties in extracting optimal performance.
“It was very tricky, and went a lot worse than I thought that it would go – and the car was really, really hard to drive today.”
“For me, I’m just grateful that I kept it out of the wall, because that’s really where it wanted to go most of the time.
“But a lot to take from it, and also just getting acclimatised to the new power unit in the wet conditions, all of the settings that it requires, a different way of driving, a different setup on the steering wheel.” – Lewis Hamilton speaking to Sky F1 after the race.
Throughout the race, communication between the Ferrari drivers and their race engineers wasn’t harmonious. During Ferrari’s disastrous pit stop gamble for example, Hamilton was unhappy with how the situation panned out:
“It [the rain] intensified a little bit in the last sector, but the rest of the track was OK. Obviously I didn’t know where everybody else was, I know people had stopped…
“Then it started raining [more], and no one told me that it was raining more elsewhere, and all of a sudden I was faced with it around the rest of the track. A bit of an opportunity missed, but I’m glad I kept it on track.”
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Glimmers of Potential Amidst Adversity
Despite the disheartening outcome, there were positive takeaways. The SF-25 exhibited competitive top speeds, and its performance during extended stints in mixed conditions was commendable.
“It’s been a tricky day, overall, but we’ll look into it. It’s only the first race of the season… Yes, it’s not the first race we would have hoped for, but looking forward we need to re-motivate ourselves for Shanghai and recover from what was a disappointing first weekend.” – Charles Leclerc post-race.
Meanwhile, Hamilton acknowledged the adaptation required in transitioning from Mercedes to Ferrari, indicating a period of acclimatisation ahead.
Team Principal Fred Vasseur also emphasized the need for strategic sharpness and optimizing driver-car synergy to rebound in the upcoming races.
Looking Ahead: Urgency for Improvement
The Scuderia’s underwhelming performance in Melbourne serves as a clarion call for reflection and swift action.
With the season only just beginning, Ferrari must address their strategic shortcomings and bolster intra-team communication to reclaim their stature as a championship contender.
Finishing with just five points – Ferrari’s lowest tally in a season opener in recent years – only amplifies the urgency. A stark contrast to past debuts (44 points in 2022, 12 in 2023, and 27 in 2024), it highlights the extent of their early struggles.
The 2025 Australian GP was a sobering experience for Ferrari, highlighting critical areas for improvement.
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Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / HochZwei
Recording Date: 16.03.2025
