Recap: Scuderia Ferrari’s rollercoaster start to the 2025 Formula 1 season

This is how it went down in the first six races of the 2025 Formula 1 season, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton piloting their Ferrari SF-25 cars.

As of the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc is fifth and Lewis Hamilton is seventh in the Driver's Championship. Scuderia Ferrari is fourth in the Constructor's Championship.

Race 1: 2025 Australian Grand Prix (14-16 March)

Ferrari looked quick from the first session, with Charles Leclerc leading in FP1 on medium tyres. The session saw two red flags: Jack Doohan's gravel spill at Turn 6 and Oliver Bearman's Haas crashing. The session ended with Norris, Sainz, Leclerc, Piastri, and Verstappen topping the timesheet. Leclerc stayed strong in FP2 and led again, this time on softs. FP3 belonged to Piastri, keeping Leclerc in the top four. In qualifying, Norris took pole with a 1:15.919, followed by Verstappen. Ferrari had a rough one: Leclerc barely made Q3 and qualified seventh with a time of 1:15.755, while Hamilton slotted in P8.

Race 2: 2025 Chinese Grand Prix (21-23 March)

Ferrari’s rhythm looked better in Shanghai. Norris led FP1, Leclerc was close behind, Piastri third. Sprint qualifying was a real spark: Hamilton nailed pole for the sprint, grabbed Ferrari’s first-ever sprint win, while Piastri and Verstappen followed in P2 and P3.

But the main race reversed everything. Piastri and Norris held 1-2 all the way, handing McLaren a perfect weekend. Ferrari had pace, Leclerc and Hamilton tangled early, damaging Leclerc’s front wing, but neither got near the podium. Then disaster: both cars were disqualified post-race: Hamilton for excessive plank wear, Leclerc for underweight machinery. The first double-Ferrari DQ since 2004, so zero points for the Prancing Horse. However, there was a silver lining: the speed was there and Sunday made it clear what the car could do when everything went right.

Race 3: 2025 Japanese Grand Prix (4-6 April)

The paddock in Suzuka was punctuated by red flags during practice; not one or two, but six sessions paused by grass fires and spins. In FP1, Norris led with Hamilton fourth and FP2 belonged to Piastri and Norris. FP3 saw Norris again fastest, with Leclerc ending up in P4.

Qualifying came with no surprises: Suzuka’s rhythm suits Schumacher-esque speed as Ferrari broke into the top eight: Hamilton P8 and Leclerc P4.

Sunday was all about strategy and conditions. Verstappen and the McLarens got ahead early, but Ferrari played a smart long-game. With clean pit stops and a disciplined drive, Leclerc climbed to P4 and Hamilton followed in P7, all while the team kept the pressure on rivals and capitalized on safety car moments.

Race 4: 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix (11-13 April)

Ferrari looked competitive from the start in Bahrain. Hamilton went third-fastest in FP1 behind Norris and Gasly, and Leclerc returned to the top three in FP3, showing good balance in the car. Piastri topped both FP2 and FP3, though, and McLaren looked like the team to beat. In qualifying, Ferrari once again had both cars into Q3, but couldn’t quite break into the front two rows. Leclerc and Hamilton lined up just behind the top group, still in range to attack.

Piastri converted pole into a controlled win, while Hamilton and Leclerc tried to hold station in the mix behind. Norris was penalised for a false start, but recovered to finish on the podium. Ferrari’s main opportunity came after a Safety Car on lap 32, but they didn’t gain the jump they needed. Hamilton spent most of the race in traffic, eventually finishing outside the top four. Leclerc looked stronger and came home in fourth, a clean result. Another solid points haul, but still nothing like McLaren’s momentum.

Race 5: 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (18-20 April)

Jeddah’s high-speed street circuit brought another opportunity for Ferrari to show race pace. Leclerc was consistently in the top three during FP1, and Hamilton finished P8. FP2 ended with Norris fastest again, before Tsunoda brought out a red flag in the final minutes. In qualifying, Verstappen took pole with a lap that reset the track record. Leclerc delivered in Q3 with a tidy lap for P4, while Hamilton finished P7.

Piastri won again with Verstappen finishing second. But the standout for Ferrari was Leclerc. After managing early pressure from Russell, he held position in tricky conditions and brought home Ferrari’s second podium of the year in P3. Hamilton, meanwhile, struggled to find rhythm in the opening laps and never recovered enough ground to challenge the top five. It wasn’t spectacular, but it was the kind of weekend Ferrari needed to reassert themselves in the Constructors’ battle. Piastri now led the championship, but Ferrari were back on the podium.

Race 6: 2025 Miami Grand Prix (2-4 May)

Miami kicked off with chaos. Only one free practice session was scheduled, and Charles Leclerc looked sharp, going P2 behind Piastri. But the sprint weekend format left little room for error, and Ferrari paid for that. Leclerc crashed in torrential rain before the sprint even started, leaving his grid spot empty. Hamilton, starting from seventh, made the early switch to slicks and moved up the order smartly. When a late Safety Car froze the order, he claimed P3 behind the McLarens of Norris and Piastri. Verstappen’s penalty meant Ferrari banked solid points from the sprint.

In Saturday’s qualifying for the Grand Prix, both Ferrari drivers struggled to put together clean laps. Leclerc managed P8, while Hamilton was knocked out in Q2 and lined up P12. It meant another Sunday comeback was needed.

Sunday’s race was dry, but far from straightforward. Leclerc drove a controlled race and made up ground after the mid-race VSC. He passed Carlos Sainz, challenged Kimi Antonelli, and held off Hamilton to finish P7. Hamilton had more tyre life late on, and Ferrari attempted team orders to maximise potential gains, but in the end, the cars finished in formation: Leclerc ahead, Hamilton behind in P8. Another solid double points result, but far from spectacular.

It was a weekend of missed opportunity. Leclerc’s crash in the sprint and qualifying position on Saturday capped his potential, while Hamilton showed he’s back in the groove with strong tyre management. Still, Ferrari left Miami with 16 points between the sprint and the race.

2025 Formula 1 Driver Standings

After the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, these are the Driver Standings.

2025 Formula 1 Constructor Standings

After the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, these are the Constructor Standings.

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Note: All images in this article are sourced from Ferrari and are intended solely for editorial use.