Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur expressed optimism about the SF-25`s performance during free practice sessions at the Spanish Grand Prix, suggesting its true potential was greater than indicated by some of Lewis Hamilton`s more `extreme` radio comments.
While both Ferraris finished in the top four during Friday`s opening practice in Barcelona, the team`s pace dropped in the second session. Charles Leclerc finished fifth and Lewis Hamilton 11th, half a second adrift of the leading McLaren.
Hamilton, who had been third fastest in P1, found Practice Two frustrating. He described his car over the radio as `not driveable` and later admitted his day was `not fun`.
Reflecting on the day, which was the first since new regulations on front-wing flexibility were introduced, Vasseur noted: “I think we had a very good pace this morning, we struggled a bit more in the afternoon.”
Vasseur mentioned that Charles Leclerc had a decent lap before a mistake at Turn Seven, which showed improvement over P1 pace, but stressed the need to complete a full clean lap. He added that they struggled more at the beginning of the long runs, linking it to the dirty track and marbles. “Overall, it was a long day and we collected also good information. It was the first time we were running the new front wing, and we`ll have a lot of work tonight,” Vasseur stated.
Addressing Hamilton`s comments directly, Vasseur acknowledged they were “a bit extreme on the radio today.” However, he pointed to Hamilton`s strong performance on the final soft-tyre stint, which matched the lap times of the top two drivers, suggesting the car “perhaps was not as horrible as he said.” Vasseur emphasized that intense radio comments during a session are not a concern as long as constructive debriefings follow.
Vasseur did concede that the car`s handling needed improvement. Responding to Nico Rosberg`s observation that the SF-25 appeared difficult to drive from trackside, Vasseur stated, “It`s not a secret that we are struggling a little bit with the balance of the car.” He added that improving this is necessary, particularly for single-lap pace which he linked to tyre management, but noted that balance issues are common across teams and haven`t prevented good race performance recently.
Hamilton hopeful fixing `problem` will help pace | Leclerc: More positive than expected
Finishing 11th, Hamilton summarized his day simply as “Not fun,” adding, “It`s a beautiful place, the weather has been amazing but, no, not a good day.”
When asked how he uses his experience to tackle issues and motivate the team, Hamilton responded, “I wouldn`t say that I`m motivating the team at the moment. You just keep your head down, you keep working away. You just don`t give up.” He stressed the need to “keep going, keep pushing, you keep trying to focus on solving the issues.” He noted P1 wasn`t bad but P2 was “quite a lot worse,” attributing this frustration to a “problem which meant we were losing some downforce” and expressed hope that fixing it would improve performance for Saturday.
Former Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, commenting on Hamilton`s post-session interview, felt he saw “a little bit more of an acceptance” from Lewis, noting a lower expectation and a focus on building from there.
Rosberg added that if the reported car issue (estimated to be worth a couple of tenths) is fixed, Hamilton could be much closer to Leclerc`s pace and highlighted Hamilton`s “awesome race run at the end,” suggesting Saturday could still be positive.
In contrast to Hamilton, Charles Leclerc expressed a more positive outlook on Ferrari`s performance potential in Barcelona. He acknowledged the warm conditions and less than ideal grip but felt the day “has not been too bad” and “a bit more positive than what we expected coming here.” Leclerc believes there is more performance to be extracted, particularly for qualifying, and while acknowledging work is needed, doesn`t feel they are “too far out” from the target.
Pacesetter Piastri`s warning with Verstappen `bit happier` in Red Bull
Friday`s running, the first since new front-wing flexibility tests were implemented, saw McLaren`s Oscar Piastri top the second practice session, setting a comfortable pace advantage of three tenths over Mercedes` George Russell. This came after speculation about whether the rule changes would alter the competitive order.
Russell sarcastically commented on McLaren`s strong showing despite the new rules, stating, “It clearly slowed McLaren down a lot, so good news.” McLaren themselves had maintained the clarification would not significantly affect their performance.
Despite McLaren`s strong P2 showing, Piastri remains cautious, expecting a “tight battle.” He noted the day was “a bit of an up and down” one, ending positively, but observed that “our competitors look quick.” Piastri highlighted that “Verstappen has been quick all day, Ferrari have been there, Mercedes popped up at the end.” He added that they expected Red Bull to be fast and are focused on improving their car`s speed, experimenting with different setups.
Max Verstappen finished third, posting an identical time to teammate Norris. Although the reigning champion wasn`t fully satisfied, he was relatively positive about Red Bull`s performance start. He called it “an okay Friday,” adding, “We have had worse Fridays. I felt a bit happier with the car. We are still not where we want to be, but it was definitely a bit more positive.” Verstappen acknowledged wanting a better feeling from the car but contrasted it with previous difficult Fridays, placing this one “a bit more in the middle.”
Marcus Prine