Ferrari Drivers Struggle with SF-25 Handling in Qatar Sprint
Ferrari’s SF-25 chassis exhibits severe oversteer and grip deficiencies during the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint, dropping both drivers out of contention early. Charles Leclerc reports the car “felt horrible” from the start, with telemetry confirming excessive rear instability that prevents effective cornering. Lewis Hamilton describes a complete loss of balance post-qualifying, snapping unpredictably and costing positions throughout the 19-lap race.
Leclerc qualifies ninth in Sprint Qualifying but starts from 11th after a penalty, immediately losing four places on the launch due to traction loss at Turn 1. He battles Haas’ Ollie Bearman for 12th but finishes 13th, 28.4 seconds behind winner Oscar Piastri. Hamilton, eliminated in SQ1 at 18th, advances only to 17th, radioing frustration over the car’s worsened setup from Friday practice.
The SF-25’s rear axle lacks rotation in low-speed corners like Turns 2, 4, and 6, forcing Leclerc to manage entry speeds precisely to avoid spins. Differential adjustments via cockpit controls fail to mitigate the oversteer, which emerges after two laps and persists despite wing tweaks. Hamilton notes zero rear grip and poor tire warm-up, attributing the snap to a balance shift that adds 1.2 seconds per lap in sector three.
Ferrari engineers identify suspected floor damage on Leclerc’s car from qualifying curbs, exacerbating the instability. The team runs higher downforce for Hamilton but achieves no gains, with both cars 0.9 seconds off McLaren’s pace in SQ3. Vasseur admits the setup, optimized for Lusail’s straights, exposes the chassis’ suspension flaws, preventing optimal ride height.
Leclerc’s radio captures the peril: “I thought I would destroy the car in the wall” during a near-miss at Turn 10. Hamilton, post-race, questions the degradation: “Don’t know how we made the car worse.” The duo trails Mercedes by 47 points in constructors’ standings, with only Abu Dhabi remaining.
Upgrades since Imola improved straightline speed but failed to resolve the core handling deficit, rooted in early 2025 development halt for 2026 regulations. Ferrari halts further SF-25 evolution, redirecting resources to wind tunnel testing for next year’s ground-effect refinements. The Qatar main race demands aggressive setup changes, including stiffer rear anti-roll bars, to salvage podium chances.
Piastri’s McLaren MCL39 dominates with 25 points, extending the gap to 112 over Ferrari. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, third in Sprint, benefits from superior rear stability, underscoring Ferrari’s aero weaknesses. U.S. fans, tracking via ESPN broadcasts, note the SF-25’s 15% lap-time deficit in high-speed sections like the Lusail straight.
Leclerc and Hamilton debrief focuses on tire management, with Pirelli’s C3 compound degrading 0.15 seconds per lap faster on the Ferrari than rivals. The Italian squad’s 2025 season yields three wins but inconsistent podiums, hampered by 12 penalty points from on-track incidents. Recovery hinges on flawless execution in Sunday’s 57-lap Grand Prix, where cooler night temperatures may aid grip recovery.
