Ferrari’s strong start on Friday in Barcelona, with both cars in the top four during the first practice session, was followed by a significant dip in performance in Practice Two. Charles Leclerc ended the day fifth fastest, while Lewis Hamilton struggled with balance and handling issues, finishing 11th and describing his SF-25 car as “not driveable.” Ferrari fell about half a second behind the leading McLaren pace set by Oscar Piastri.
Team Principal Frederic Vasseur acknowledged the team’s afternoon struggles, citing difficulties with car balance and tyre management, particularly on a track covered with debris and marbles. “We have to improve on one lap, but it’s more about tyre management and getting the tyres in the right window,” Vasseur said. He remained optimistic about making improvements before qualifying and race day.
Hamilton admitted the day was “not fun” and expressed hope that fixing the downforce problem causing the car’s poor performance would improve his pace. Despite his frustrations, Hamilton maintained a focus on hard work and resilience ahead of the rest of the weekend.
Meanwhile, Leclerc remained relatively positive about the SF-25’s potential, noting the warm conditions and track grip challenges but feeling the car has more performance to unlock.
McLaren dominated Friday’s sessions, with Piastri topping the timesheets and teammate Lando Norris also performing strongly. Piastri warned of stiff competition from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari, highlighting a close battle ahead.
Verstappen, third fastest on Friday, shared cautious optimism after a more stable day compared to previous struggles, acknowledging the team is not yet where they want to be but feels improvements are underway.
The weekend will also see the impact of new F1 flexi-wing regulations, with many teams assessing how these changes may shift the competitive order.
Swifteradio.com
