Fred Vasseur Issues Urgent Ferrari Warning: ‘We Are Struggling Now’

Ferrari’s Formula 1 season has faced new challenges, as team principal Fred Vasseur admits the team is struggling with the SF-25’s balance. Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have expressed concerns, especially about qualifying pace.

Poor balance has been the biggest issue, making it tough for the drivers to fight for leading grid positions. Ferrari still shows strong speed during races, but starting too far back limits their ability to score big points on Sundays.

Vasseur has made it clear that correcting the car’s balance is the team’s top priority. He pointed out that the struggle is not a secret, and the focus is to solve the problem before full attention shifts to the 2025 season and new regulations.

Vasseur told reporters the qualifying struggles come down to managing tyres and getting them in the right operating window at the start of a flying lap. He said the team must improve in this area and admitted the balance is not perfect — a problem that affects other teams too, but hurts Ferrari more at the moment.

At the recent Spanish Grand Prix, Ferrari debuted a new front wing designed to meet the latest regulations that limit how much the component can flex. During second practice in Barcelona, Leclerc finished fifth, while Hamilton placed eleventh after facing more technical problems.

Four different teams finished in the top five, but Vasseur said it is too soon to judge whether the field has grown tighter with the rule changes. He explained a difference of even a tenth of a second per lap could dramatically change the grid, because overtaking is so difficult at most modern F1 tracks.

As of the end of May, Ferrari is fourth in the Constructors’ Championship with 142 points, just behind Red Bull and Mercedes, while McLaren leads with 319. Leclerc holds fifth place in the Drivers’ Championship with 79 points, and Hamilton sits sixth with 63.

Both are searching for solutions to help close the gap to the leaders before the summer break. Recent comments from Hamilton—even describing the car as ‘undriveable’—highlight the urgency within the team. Similar challenges have been noted in recent McLaren reports on Lewis Hamilton’s performances (McLaren Lewis Hamilton Monaco).

The season continues with crucial races ahead. Ferrari will try to make improvements in time for the Spanish Grand Prix on June 1, with the Canadian, Austrian, British, and Belgian Grands Prix following in June and July.

Each race offers a chance to gather more data and push the SF-25 closer to the front. Fans continue to follow the developments closely as Vasseur and his drivers push for answers.

The team remains determined to overcome their technical problems and fight for stronger results as the season progresses. Amid a highly competitive field, these efforts are essential especially with the McLaren F1 rule clash affecting various teams’ performances.