The strongest Ferrari since Michael Schumacher – Jean Todt era aims to capitalize on rivals' weakness

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The Red dream led by a French triumvirate
What truly matters, amid a flurry of discussions, predictions, and previews, are the unspoken words. The ones exchanged between Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, and the Maranello engineers at the end of the Fiorano test sessions. How did the new Ferrari perform? Have last year's shortcomings been addressed? Is there really that whispered improvement of about four-tenths per lap circulating in the corridors of the Ferrari Racing Division? Official responses remain the same—vague and designed to divert attention from the real objective. What counts instead are the sensations. And only Charles Leclerc can have an intuition of whether the right conditions are in place for a great Formula 1 season or if it will be yet another year of waiting. Confirmations, or denials, will come from next week's official pre-season testing session at the 5.412-kilometre Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, a relatively easy track that is not particularly indicative, serving as a prelude to the season opener at the Albert Park circuit in Australia on March 16, a street circuit that reveals little to nothing.

But for now, the atmosphere is as heated as the bonfires of the incredible (and unwavering) fans who, on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday, gathered in Maranello and Fiorano to witness the debut of the SF-25 in a winter event held in the cold, warming themselves with coffee, mulled wine, and sandwiches. Enthusiastic young fans arrived from all over Italy, crowding the bridge over the highway from Modena, which passes right in front of the factory entrance. A true, genuine passion, worlds apart from the London event the night before—an almost tacky spectacle experimenting with a very British hybrid of concert vibes, fashion show atmospheres, and even the popular flavor of the Sanremo Festival, with team managers, poor souls, reduced to acting as presenters and promoters of their own teams and sponsors.

A well-packaged show, but how credible was it? The spectacle, the marketing, the glitter, the champagne displayed on VIP tables—all fine. But no one took the time to explain that Formula 1 is also synonymous with progress, and much of what has been tested in the hybrid-era Grands Prix has been transferred—or soon will be—to electric cars, which represent our future. Otherwise, what sense would it make for the most prestigious car brands to participate in F1? A quick look at Ferrari's road cars is enough to understand where the innovations, technology, ideas, and appeal come from.

Returning to Ferrari as the new Formula 1 project, what stands out now is the underlying confidence in the air. Frederic Vasseur has built his team with two trusted men, Jerome D'Ambrosio and Lois Serra. A French-speaking triumvirate managing a multinational workforce, with key figures like Enrico Gualtieri and Diego Tondi leading the engine and aerodynamics departments, which are the crucial two areas, alongside track engineers Diego Ioverno and Matteo Togninalli. The SF-25 is the product of this group, with a significant contribution from Italian aerodynamicist Enrico Cardile, the former technical director who recently moved to Aston Martin. Frederic Vasseur has therefore laid the foundation for his Ferrari, which will also shape the team's future. And the SF-25 is the first real test upon which he will be judged. But the French manager appears to have few doubts, as he has openly spoken of the dual goal of the drivers' and constructors' championships. Charles Leclerc went even further, as the Monegasque driver admitted that he would be disappointed if Ferrari didn't win the two Formula 1 titles in 2025. He pointed out that there is a positive mindset in the team that has been missing for years.

In reality, the Ferrari making its debut in the Australian Grand Prix on March 16 is the strongest since the Michael Schumacher – Jean Todt era. Its solidity also comes from the weakening of its rivals: Mercedes has lost both Lewis Hamilton and Loic Serra, Red Bull no longer has Adrian Newey, and McLaren, the real revelation of 2024, has a structure far from Maranello's level and a driver lineup with limited experience.

And here we come to the real topic of the 2025 Ferrari: will Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc be able to coexist, given that the Monegasque driver has made it clear he is aiming straight for the title, while Lewis Hamilton has arrived as the team's reference point, ready to immediately claim his eighth crown? Frederic Vasseur says that competition will push them to bring out the best in each other and he is right. But neither of them is willing to sacrifice themselves for their teammate. Charles Leclerc knows that if he loses the battle, his career will have to start over. Likewise, if Lewis Hamilton is defeated, he will be overwhelmed by haters and second-rate critics who will quickly erase everything he has achieved to become the greatest of all time.

It's a delicate situation, but one certainty remains: the British driver’s skill, his racecraft (more than his qualifying ability), and his wealth of experience at Maranello represent an invaluable asset, just as Charles Leclerc's speed and talent are treasures to be preserved for the present and the future. Today, only Max Verstappen can compete with him on equal footing and without fear. If the Monegasque has occasionally suffered emotional setbacks, it is because he has spent six years in red constantly driving uncompetitive cars. One advantage for Charles Leclerc is that the pressure will weigh more on Lewis Hamilton's shoulders than on his own, but the mental battle with the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, just to be clear, has already unsettled a tough character like Fernando Alonso and even forced a freshly crowned world champion like Nico Rosberg into retirement out of sheer exhaustion. In short, Lewis Hamilton is a loyal and cooperative driver who looks after the team's interests, but as he himself says, he has come to Ferrari to fulfill a possible dream, and he believes he has done so at the right time.

These are reasonable statements from both sides, although for now, Lewis and Charles are still sizing each other up, talking about fashion, playing chess, and sharing opinions on music. They have a similar driving style, as pointed out by the Monegasque, in a semblance of normality that isn't real—because rivalries divide and create distance. It will be up to the triumvirate to recognize the critical breaking points, but first and foremost, to manage a rivalry that will push both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to give their best, driving Ferrari's performance even higher. A Ferrari that has never been this aggressive, never before so reinforced by strong technical and structural elements, finally ready to return to what it once was and what everyone wants it to be again—breaking free from a nightmare that has lasted too long, been too affected by human errors, and proven too cruel for so many champions like Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, who had to swallow bitter disappointment after making the choice that was supposed to carry them triumphantly to Maranello. Lewis Hamilton knows the history, and yesterday, he made a point of remembering both Fernando and Sebastian, hoping deep down that this time, the ending will be different.

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