Ferrari needs good results to stand a chance of finishing the 2025 season in a strong position. Unfortunately, some races only push them further away from the goal. After the sprint and Saturday’s qualifying, it seemed like Belgium would be one of them, at least for one of the drivers. Then, an unexpected rainy twist changed the course of the team’s Grand Prix.
For Ferrari, the troubles came at the end of the first sprint qualifying session. It was then that Lewis Hamilton couldn’t seem to put together a good lap and fell into the elimination zone. For the rest of the day, Charles Leclerc was the team’s only representative. He qualified fourth, behind the two McLarens and the Red Bull of Max Verstappen.
The sprint itself was a tedious ordeal, not only for Ferrari but also for most other teams. There were few changes in the order and even fewer surprises. Leclerc managed to climb a place at the start of the race, but quickly lost it to the rapid McLaren behind him. Hamilton moved up a few places and finished the day in P15.
Qualifying for the main race mirrored that of the sprint. Once again, only one Ferrari moved through the different sessions, and once again, it was Leclerc who sat behind its wheel. The talented Monegasque managed the impossible and qualified third, ahead of Verstappen. It was more than anyone believed the car to be capable of.
Meanwhile, Hamilton had to end his day with Q1. This time, it wasn’t due to putting together a poor lap. He did manage a flyer that was good enough to launch him into P7, but it was deleted for exceeding track limits. Although Ferrari tried to appeal the decision, the FIA remained steadfast in its ruling. The driver was set to start from P16, but decided to go for a pitlane start to make changes to his engine.
Coming into the race, one Ferrari was almost at the front, and the other almost at the back of the grid. The start of the Grand Prix was severely delayed due to rain and low visibility, a fact that would end up changing the race for at least one of the team’s drivers. By the time racing was resumed, the track was drying. Although all drivers began on intermediate tires, it quickly became clear that a switch to slicks would come sooner than many had expected. As is often the case, there was a lot to be gained and a lot to be lost in the exchange.
On lap 12, Hamilton, along with a few other drivers, decided to pit for slick tires. The decision turned out to be a stroke of genius. They were rapid on the drying track, quickly making up time over their competitors. The other drivers dove into the pits as soon as they could. By the time the dust had settled, Hamilton managed to move up from the back of the grid, all the way to P7. He would stay there for the rest of the race.
For Leclerc, the situation was more straightforward. After changing into his medium tires, his focus shifted to making sure that Verstappen couldn’t overtake him before the race ended. Through some great defensive moves, he managed to keep the Dutchman behind and scored his fifth podium of the season. Since everyone knew that beating the McLarens would be all but impossible, this was the best possible result for Ferrari.
Throughout the Belgian weekend, the Italian team reminded its fans that it’s not over until it’s over. Despite the poor start and challenges thrown their way, they maximized the results and ended up with some good points added to their tally. Currently, Ferrari is still the second team in the standings, having increased their lead over Mercedes.
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter here. Check out Stadium Rant Original shows on our Youtube channel and subscribe! Give our socials Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok a follow for more great content!
