The Tifosi’s test of faith: Can Ferrari find hope in Monza? 

The 2025 Formula One season was supposed to be a new chapter for Ferrari, a fresh start fuelled by the anguish of almost clinching the 2024 Constructors’ title and the arrival of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Instead, it has become a sobering reminder of just how brutal the pinnacle of motorsport can be. 

While McLaren have been untouchable at the front, Ferrari find themselves in a precarious situation, grappling with a car that has proven to be inconsistent and, at times, unreliable. With both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc failing to get on top of their on-track struggles, the focus has shifted to simply salvaging podium finishes wherever possible.

The reality is miles away from the script many had written at the start of the season. The Scuderia were expected to challenge for the title, but here we are, more than halfway through the season, and they’re struggling to keep pace not just with the leaders, but with an ever-improving midfield. 

Although the SF-25 has shown flashes of brilliance — particularly in qualifying — on race day its struggles with tyre degradation and overall race pace have become a recurring theme.

Simply put, Ferrari’s campaign has been a struggle. The Maranello team are currently trailing McLaren in the Constructors’ standings by a massive 324 points, and with both their drivers languishing outside the top four in the Drivers’ standings, they’re yet to secure a single win this season.  

For a side that prides itself on passion and precision, Ferrari’s technical struggles have made for a painful watch. They’re yet to get on top of their ride height and power steering issues — frustratingly paradoxical for a car that seemed so promising during pre-season. 

At the end of last season, we saw a team and a driver all fired up and ready to go. Having been building up gradually, you could feel that little buzz of anticipation. The wind was in their sails, and they looked ready to take the next big step. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were bringing home the wins, the car was singing to their tune, and the Tifosi had started to believe again. The hope was palpable.

But this sport — much like life — has a way of humbling you. You gear up to race on a beautiful Sunday, the sun is out, the track temperature is optimal, and yet, somehow, you crash out cheaply. Something just…happens. That, in essence, has been the story of Ferrari’s season so far. 

It’s a fascinating case study. When you add a talent like Lewis Hamilton to a team, you expect the sum to be greater than its parts. But sometimes, when the parts aren’t functioning in harmony, things can get messy very quickly. 

The SF-25 has been a far cry from the perfect machinery it was promised to be. Whispers from the paddock suggest a fundamental flaw, a stubbornness in its handling. In an ideal scenario, the SF-25 wants to run low, very low, to generate that crucial downforce. But when it does, it starts to wear down the plank, which can lead to disqualification — as happened to Lewis Hamilton in China.

It’s a classic catch-22. To extract performance, you risk disqualification. By playing it safe, you lose time on the track. That’s a tough situation for any team.

For Leclerc, this season has been a strange mix of frustration and quiet brilliance. He’s the homegrown hero, the man who lives and breathes Ferrari. Despite obvious limitations, he has been doing everything he can with the package he has. He has secured all five of Ferrari’s podiums this season and has been the more comfortable driver, consistently out-qualifying and out-racing his decorated teammate. 

Hamilton, on the other hand, has won everything, seen everything. This is a man who spent a dozen years with one team, perfecting a craft, building a legacy. Moving to Ferrari, who have their own unique culture, different software, and a car that’s completely alien to him, was always going to be a massive challenge. 

By Hamilton’s own admission, the SF-25 has felt “on a knife edge”. He has shown flashes of brilliance; a sensational pole position and a sprint victory in China were moments that reminded us of the champion he is. But this sport is not about flashes of brilliance, but consistency. And that has been the one thing eluding Hamilton and, by and large, the team.

The silver lining — if you can call it that — is that the second half of the season has only just started. Ferrari have made a bold decision to continue developing this car, even if it means compromising on next year’s regulations. This shows they haven’t given up on this year yet and believe there is still performance to be unlocked. 

And that’s the thing about great teams: they’re not defined by their failures, but by how they respond to them.

So far, this season has not turned out the way Ferrari had dreamed of. It has been a season of what-ifs, of missed opportunities, and of an ongoing struggle for a team and a legend trying to find their feet.

But the story isn’t over yet. The fat lady hasn’t sung, and there are still many chapters left to be written. 

The next stop on the calendar is Monza — sanctuary of Formula One’s most passionate fans. This is where history roars to life, where the sea of red fills the grandstands with a collective hope for victory. 

This isn’t just another race; it’s a pilgrimage. The Tifosi may not be expecting a miracle, but they crave a sign of life, a glimmer of the team’s true potential. They need a performance that shows the groundwork is being laid for a brighter future. 

This season may already be a write-off, but Monza is always a clean slate, a chance for redemption. For Ferrari’s sake, and for the sake of the Tifosi who make the pilgrimage year after year, let’s hope they find some magic on home soil.