Jacques Villeneuve, a former Formula 1 world champion, believes Ferrari is aware of their difficulties following a disappointing start to the 2025 season.
Lewis Hamilton, in his debut year with Ferrari after moving from Mercedes where he secured seven world championships, qualified eighth for the Japanese Grand Prix. His teammate Charles Leclerc qualified fourth, coming just two weeks after both drivers were disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix.
Hamilton`s sprint race victory in China stands as the highlight of his Ferrari tenure so far. Prior to this, in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, he and Leclerc finished in tenth and eighth positions, respectively, and both entered the Suzuka race with fewer than ten points in the championship.
Villeneuve, the 1997 Formula 1 champion with Williams, commented that Ferrari is aware of their issues but lacks a clear path to improvement. He added that seeing their competitors progress while they are stagnant is a worrying sign for Ferrari.
Hamilton: Not good enough from my side
Hamilton expressed disappointment with his qualifying performance, stating it was “not good enough” on his part, as he finished over six-tenths of a second behind Max Verstappen, who surprisingly took pole position.
Red Bull`s Verstappen secured the top qualifying spot from McLaren`s championship leader Lando Norris with a lap time of 1:26.983, setting a new lap record at Suzuka.
Hamilton`s disqualification in China two weeks prior was due to excessive skid-block wear. This might be the reason Ferrari is opting for a higher car setup in Japan.
Speaking after qualifying, Hamilton, the British driver, mentioned, “We are running with a higher ride height than I prefer, but everyone is facing similar conditions.”
Hamilton continued, “Charles [Leclerc] did a fantastic job. We chose different setup directions. I struggled with significant understeer and couldn`t adjust effectively.”
Leclerc: Big gap compared to McLaren and Red Bull
When questioned about whether Ferrari`s ride height was impacting their performance, Leclerc responded, “We have other issues, not specifically related to ride height. I can`t elaborate too much.”
Leclerc added, “In qualifying, especially in Q3, things started to slip away a bit. I experienced either significant oversteer or understeer, but I was ultimately pleased with my lap.”
Leclerc explained, “Reflecting back on Friday`s practice, we discovered something in my driving style that seems to be more effective and provided me with greater confidence for the remainder of qualifying.”
Leclerc concluded, “This is a positive sign for the remainder of the season, although addressing other issues might take more time. The gap to McLaren and Red Bull is still significant, and closing this gap is our objective.”
Leclerc summarized, “Overall, it`s been a positive experience as I feel much more comfortable with the car.”
