As it goes in Formula 1, a struggling Ferrari becomes the butt of extreme condemnation. It’s far worse at home in Italy, believe me. But the kicks are just as hard in English when our team is down.
“Will Hamilton’s poor form continue? Why is Lewis suffering versus Charles? Is it the brakes? Why is Hamilton frustrated with his Ferrari start? Have Ferrari’s upgrades failed? Is Lewis praying for a better Ferrari bond?” And so it goes. Enough already!
“Ferrari only has one podium.” Really? “Third in Jeddah, Leclerc scored Ferrari’s podium in 2025 last time out,” one ‘learned’ wag shouted from his esteemed platform. Strange… was I dreaming when Lewis won that Sprint? Was Hamilton’s stunning pole and win really that bad?
Never mind Charles’ run at Jeddah last week. Sure, it’s a bit off the pace in general. But on a good day, how is it that the Ferrari is good enough to beat the Mercedes? To hold off Lando?
See, while the clowns carry on, Ferrari has on occasion been just as good, if not actually better, than the best. And that forgotten—and mostly overlooked—pace is likely the team’s greatest harbinger of a better outcome in the not-too-distant future.
Do McLaren and Merc cheat flex better?
The Scuderia for instance, believes that the FIA’s stricter front wing tests coming for the Spanish Grand Prix will bring a substantial step relative to its rivals. It seems Ferrari engineers believe that McLaren and Mercedes have simply been better at cheating those outgoing flex tests.
Even before that, the Scuderia will roll out part of a major SF-25 upgrade to better exploit downforce from Imola, in two races’ time. The balance of the new tricks will drop at Barcelona. Double jeopardy to coincide with its rivals’ flexi-step back? Time will tell.
This upgrade is said to improve rear downforce, make the SF-25 tighter under braking, and easier to turn in. It should make Lewis more confident, Charles a bit quicker. Enough to shift Ferrari up the grid and propel this handy race car onto the sharp end in the races.
Yes, Ferrari hasn’t had the best of starts this season. Yes, it’s made more mistakes. It’s thrown points away, and Lewis is struggling a little more with the SF-25. But is it really as bad as this woke F1 audience suggests? And is Maranello really that far off the pace?
Don’t think so. But I do believe that if this upgrade works—and the others really were that good at cheating flex tests—then this just may be all we need to take the fight to the front. The season is just a pup, after all. Roll out that upgrade!
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