Come the last six rounds of 2024, Ferrari had the fastest Formula One car in the field. Since the Singapore Grand Prix and over the two sets of triple header weekends, the Scuderia closed a 79 point gap to McLaren to just 14 as the chequered flag fell in the Abu Dhabi desert.

Yet the team decided to build a completely new car design, with team boss Fred Vasseur confirming “99% of the parts are new.” Meanwhile McLaren continued with the design philosophy of their MCL38, which brought them their first constructors’ championship since 1998.

With no podiums after the first four rounds of the year, it became quickly evident something was fundamentally wrong with the SF-25.  The car looks at its quickest when setup with a low ride height, but as newbie Lewis Hamilton found much to his disgust in China, this approach would lead to his disqualification for excessive plank wear.

 

 

 

Ferrari president suggests disharmony in Maranello

Each of the F1 teams must now build a completely new chassis concept due to the big 2026 new car design regulation changes. Its a once in a generation reset of the FIA’s rules and so drastic are the differences from the current set of regulations, its anyone’s guess who will come out on top.

The president of the Ferrari group, John Elkann, gave a revealing interview last week in the build up to the Hungarian Grand Prix. Speaking to F1’s official channel, he alluded to the reasons why Ferrari was once successful. “What’s important in Ferrari is not the individual, but it’s the individuals. Those individuals, when they work together, they can do incredible things. That has been very much the case in Formula 1.

“We all remember when we were victorious, and we were victorious because there was a very strong sense that incredible individuals – from our engineers, our mechanics, our pilots, our team principal – were really individuals that worked together.

“So it’s not about the individual, but it’s about the collective effort of great individuals who can achieve even more together,” he concluded. Given Ferrari are not winning in Formula One, frame Elkann’s comments in an interesting light. Is there disharmony behind the scenes? Are their internal political battles being fought?

Sky F1 Blacklisted, Reporters Muzzled

 

 

 

Hamilton again talks of “behind the scenes”

Then came the disaster in Budapest where Leclerc looked set to win, only for the team to raise his tyre pressures and reduce the front wing angle at his final pit stop. This was to prevent the car being disqualified for excessive plank wear as the SF-25 was repeatedly seen making big strikes against the asphalt.

Leclerc was publicly furious over team radio, demanding why the team had not consulted him and allowed him to drive around the problem. Although harmony was partially restored when I the post race media pen, Leclerc suggested he was wrong and he’d suffer a ‘one off’ chassis problem.

Lewis Hamilton too suggested all was not well behind the scenes in Maranello. A visibly distressed seven times champion had publicly admitted after qualifying that he was “utterly useless” and the Ferrari should consider “changing the driver.”  He further alluded to a problem with inside Ferrari, a theme present in Lewis’ narrative across the European racing season.

When asked why he felt the team should change driver, Lewis codedly responded. “When you have a feeling…. There’s a lot going on in the background, that’s not great.” This writer’s instant reaction to this comment was more than the raising of the proverbial eyebrow. Hamilton appeared to be suggesting there was some kind of disharmony within the team and changing ‘the driver’ might solve that.

Alonso rages at “British Press”

 

 

 

Ferrari grandee suggests Hamilton not wanted by engineers

Since the Hungarian Grand Prix a number of Ferrari grandees have spoken out about Hamilton’s strange behaviour. Jean Alesi noted that Ferrari’s greatest driver, Michael Schumacher, would have never said such things, whilst ex-driver Arturo Merzario speaking to La Gazzetta considered: “I think his outburst was ironic in some ways. His position certainly wasn’t what one would expect from a seven-time world champion. Rather, it seems to me that Lewis is feeling ‘demolished’ by Ferrari.”

However, Merzario was to reveal a far more dramatic state of affairs in Maranello when he added: “Ninety per cent of Ferrari engineers disagreed [with signing Hamilton], at least from what I understand. And then, when a driver doesn’t feel valued or an integral part of the team’s pursuit of a goal, he loses motivation. Why go crazy trying to gain three-tenths while still remaining on the third row?”

If true, this is devastating news for Lewis Hamilton and team boss Fred Vasseur, given its not the odd troublemaker or two who could be replaced, but the majority of the Maranello engineering team. Hamilton has not had the smoothest transition with his race engineer, Ricciardo Adami, this season.

After a number of public terse exchanges between the two over team radio, Hamilton asked of his engineer after crossing the line in Monaco, “are you upset with me or something?” The question was received in silence.

Two F1 teams talking to George Russell

 

 

 

Wolff praises Ferrari for not making a “truly stupid” mistake

All is not well for Lewis with the staff of his new F1 team, but Toto Wolff believes Ferrari avoided making a significant mistake again for 2026. With talk of the hierarchy at the Ferrari group being unhappy with the job Fred Vasseur has been doing, the Italian media had been speculating his contract wold not be renewed at the end of this season.

Yet prior to the track action in Budapest, the news came through that the Frenchman had received an extension to his current deal, although no timescales were apparent. Speaking to La Gazzetta the Mercedes boss backed Ferrari’s retention of their head honcho, stating: “Any other choice would have been truly stupid. I’ve known Fred since we were in our early twenties, and I know his value as a motorsports man.”

Toto Wolff went to to illuminate how F1 turnaround projects can take a number of years.“I know his entrepreneurial vision and his strength. Having someone like him on your team is a blessing, and you have to remember how much time it takes, in F1, to create a successful project.”

Since acquiring Brawn GP and rebranding it as Mercedes in 2010, it was four long years before the team found championship success with their dominant new V6 hybrid turbo power unit, which powered their drivers to victory week in and out.

 

 

 

Perez linked with Alpine post summer break return

Franco Colapinto crashed his Alpine during the Pirelli test in Hungary today as pressure grows on the Argentinian driver following a strong of disappointing results. He is the only current Formula One driver yet to score a point in 2025 and his head too head with team mate Pierre Gasly is also sadly lacking.

The Alpine driver has the worst statistics amongst his rookie peers. Both he and his predecessor Jack Doohan have failed to make it into Q3, whilst the others have all competed multiple times in F1’s top ten shootout on Saturday afternoon’s.

His big news move from Williams to Alpine was heralded by the de facto team boss, Flavio Briatore: “We are very pleased to come to an agreement with Williams Racing to sign Franco Colapinto. Clearly, Franco is among the best young talents in motorsport right now. It is fair to say his appearance on the Formula One grid last year caught many, me included, by surprise, and his performances have been very impressive for a rookie driver,” said the head of the Alpine F1 team…. READ MORE