Ferrari Struggles Deepen as Leclerc Misses Top 10 in Imola Qualifying

Ferrari’s struggles were evident at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix qualifying at Imola as both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton failed to break into the top 10. Leclerc finished 11th, and Hamilton was 12th, marking the first time since the track joined the Formula 1 calendar in 1980 that Ferrari did not have a car in the top 10 at Imola qualifying.

After an intense session, Leclerc told reporters, “We are just P nowhere at the moment,” capturing the somber mood in the team’s garage on Saturday afternoon. The SF-25 showed some promise after both drivers faced brake issues during practice, but the problem was less severe by qualifying.

Despite improvements, Ferrari still struggled significantly with overall car performance and tire management. During their decisive Q2 laps, both Leclerc and Hamilton lost time in slower corners compared to drivers like Alex Albon, who ultimately edged them out of the final qualifying session. For a deeper understanding of tire dynamics in Formula 1, you can explore FIA’s official technical regulations.

Ferrari’s cars were measured as much as 12 km/h slower at key apexes, despite a slight advantage in straight-line speed. Both drivers expressed their frustration openly after the session.

Hamilton said, “I feel super gutted, devastated that we weren’t able to get through. The car was generally feeling better. The balance was really nice. When we put the new tyres on, for some reason, it just didn’t have any more grip. I couldn’t go any faster.”

Leclerc found the issues all too familiar, stating, “There’s not enough performance in the car and I keep repeating myself. There’s just not the potential that we hope for in this car at the moment and we need to be better.”

The struggles were more pronounced as Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll secured top 10 grid positions, with Alonso qualifying fifth on medium tyres. Leclerc admitted that running similar strategies was out of reach as their rivals “are doing really good lap times anyway.”

This increased pressure on Ferrari to deliver results from planned upgrades for the Spanish Grand Prix in two weeks. Season fixes have often failed to bring the expected gains or have altered the car’s feel, hindering both drivers. For more on the engineering challenges in F1, check out MIT’s Motorsports Research.

Hamilton’s frustration intensified when his second Q2 run was slower than his first. Ferrari’s focus on making the SF-25 gentler on its tyres may have gone too far, especially since other teams used the softest tyres effectively in qualifying laps.

Teams like Williams and Aston Martin managed their tyre warm-up better, leaving Ferrari searching for answers ahead of upcoming races. Leclerc summed up their predicament bluntly: “I can fight as much as I want. I cannot perform miracles. This is what there is in the car.”

The disappointment was clear after a weekend offering little hope for a sudden turnaround. Ferrari now looks to their upgrades, hoping to reverse the downward trend and rejoin the fight at the front of the grid. For historical context on Ferrari’s performance, visit Encyclopedia Britannica’s entry on Ferrari.

The next race in Spain will be a crucial test of whether they can bounce back from this historically poor outing at their home event.

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.