Last Updated on May 14 2025, 11:30 am
Ferrari’s long-awaited 2025 Formula One campaign has got off to a rocky start, and as the season progresses the reasons for their continued underperformance are becoming increasingly clear. At the heart of the team’s struggles is the SF-25, the car that was supposed to be the spearhead of a championship challenge, but has instead come under scrutiny for its limitations, particularly in how it interacts with its newest driver: seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
In his first season with Scuderia Ferrari, Hamilton has had to contend not only with the demands of a new team, but also with a car that doesn’t seem to suit his natural driving instincts. And now a familiar name from the paddock – former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley – has stepped in to offer a technical perspective on why the Maranello-based team are falling short and why Hamilton has yet to unleash his usual speed.
Smedley, who was once Felipe Massa’s race engineer and played a key role in Ferrari’s operations in the late 2000s, shed light on the issues in a recent episode of the F1 Nation podcast. His insights help paint a clearer picture of what’s going wrong at the Scuderia – and why, far from being a title contender, the SF-25 is currently more of a burden than a blessing for its drivers.
A car that doesn’t respond: The SF-25’s core weaknesses
According to Smedley, the core of Ferrari’s problems lies in the design and behaviour of the SF-25. On paper, the car promised refinement over its predecessor, the SF-24, and was supposed to fix long-standing problems with balance and tyre degradation. In practice, however, the SF-25 has failed to deliver the expected step forward – particularly for Lewis Hamilton, who finds the car’s handling characteristics incompatible with his preferred style.
“It’s not that easy to drive,” remarked Smedley, pointing out that Hamilton is not necessarily underperforming, but being limited by a car that doesn’t play to his strengths.
While Charles Leclerc has occasionally managed to get strong lap times out of the SF-25, the car’s overall competitiveness remains below par. Even more telling is how inconsistent the car feels from circuit to circuit, suggesting deeper aerodynamic and mechanical imbalances.
Hamilton, a driver known for his ability to brake deep into corners and spin the car on a stable rear end, is particularly vulnerable in a car that doesn’t give him confidence at the back. And according to Smedley, that’s where the SF-25 lets him down.
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Rear instability: A critical flaw for Hamilton
Perhaps the SF-25’s most damaging characteristic is its instability through medium and high speed corners – a segment of the lap where a driver’s confidence in rear grip is crucial. Smedley noted that the Ferrari’s rear lacks the kind of predictability that Hamilton relies on to push to the limit.
“That requires a really stable rear end,” he explained. “We’ve seen in the past that Lewis struggles when he can’t rely on that. If the rear is too unstable, he just can’t get the most out of the car – it’s just his driving style.”
It is not a new problem for Hamilton; during his years at Mercedes, particularly in 2022 when the team’s W13 suffered from severe porpoising and instability, similar issues plagued him while teammate George Russell was quicker to adapt to the unstable balance. It’s a recurring pattern: when a car lacks rear stability, Hamilton’s natural inputs and braking preferences become liabilities rather than assets.
The result has been a string of underwhelming finishes for the British champion, who joined Ferrari to great fanfare in the hope of reviving the team’s title ambitions. But as the first half of the season unfolds, Hamilton is still searching for a rhythm – and the car remains uncooperative.
Leclerc’s slight advantage doesn’t hide the bigger problem
While Charles Leclerc has managed to squeeze better qualifying performances out of the SF-25, his advantage appears marginal and inconsistent. Smedley suggested that Leclerc is able to adapt a little better, at least in qualifying trim, getting “a little more” out of the package. But that narrow advantage hasn’t translated into sustained race pace or podiums.
The broader reality is that neither Ferrari driver currently has a car capable of challenging the top teams. Smedley was candid about Ferrari’s position in relation to its rivals, stating that the SF-25 is “fundamentally underpowered”.
In other words, it’s not just a matter of tweaking the set-up or adapting the driving – the basic level of the car is below what’s needed to compete at the top end of the grid.
This assessment is reinforced by Ferrari’s ongoing struggle to match the pace of the Mercedes W16 and the benchmark McLaren MCL39, which has become the new gold standard for aerodynamic efficiency and mechanical balance in 2025. Ferrari, on the other hand, seems to be treading water – competitive enough to flirt with podiums on its better days, but rarely a real threat.
No easy fixes: Ferrari faces a multifaceted problem
The question now is whether Ferrari can turn things around in the coming months. Smedley warned against expecting any silver bullets or miracle improvements.
“They are where they are,” he said bluntly, suggesting that Ferrari’s problems are deeply embedded in the car’s architecture.
For a team under pressure to deliver, both internally and from one of the most passionate fan bases in motorsport, that reality will sting. The SF-25’s limitations won’t be solved by a single aerodynamic update or suspension tweak. Instead, Smedley believes a comprehensive development effort is required, focusing on several areas of the car.
“They need to improve a number of things,” he said, noting that even small gains – in the order of “two or three tenths” – could change Ferrari’s competitive outlook. In the cut-throat world of F1, where a tenth of a second can mean the difference between pole position and the third row, such improvements are crucial.
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Hamilton’s patience will be tested
For Hamilton, the road ahead looks increasingly like a test of endurance. He joined Ferrari with a long-term vision, hoping to emulate the legends of the past by bringing championship glory back to Maranello. But to do that, he’ll need the team to act quickly and decisively to address the SF-25’s shortcomings.
The situation is reminiscent of other high-profile transitions in F1 history – Alonso’s various team changes, Vettel’s early years at Ferrari and even Hamilton’s own move from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013. Those transitions took time, trust and development – and it’s clear now that Hamilton’s move to Ferrari will be no different.
Yet time is not on Ferrari’s side. With the development race already heating up, and McLaren and Mercedes both aggressively improving their packages, Ferrari must find a way to close the performance gap without destabilising their existing strengths. That means continuing to extract data, making targeted updates and, crucially, tailoring the car to the unique strengths of its most decorated driver.
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Ferrari must act before momentum slips further
Ferrari’s problems with the SF-25 run deeper than simple driver preference. What Lewis Hamilton is experiencing is symptomatic of a car that is flawed in execution and concept, and even Charles Leclerc – as familiar as he is with the team – can only do so much with what’s available.
Rob Smedley’s diagnosis confirms what many have suspected: Ferrari’s problems are structural and there’s no easy fix. The challenge now is for the team to react with urgency and intelligence, recognising that their current package isn’t championship material, but it’s not beyond redemption either.
For Hamilton and Ferrari, the story of 2025 will be defined not just by what went wrong in the opening races – but by how they respond in the months ahead. The dream of a title-winning partnership is not dead, but it will require a level of precision, cooperation and determination that has too often eluded Ferrari in recent years. Whether they can rise to the challenge could determine the final chapter of Hamilton’s legendary career – and Ferrari’s next era of success or stagnation.
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With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
