Is Imola Ferrari’s last resort in this 2025 season? In the traditional team principals’ press conference, Team Principal Fred Vasseur stepped up to defend the Scuderia
Ferrari is going on the offensive—or at least, trying to. Leading the charge after a dramatic and disappointing start to the season is Fred Vasseur. The Frenchman at the helm of the Prancing Horse addressed the media after witnessing a dismal run, with a third-place finish in Jeddah as the best result from the first six races. And this time, Vasseur brought more than just words—though the truth will be revealed on the track in the days ahead.
“Ferrari worked really hardly for Imola”. The much-anticipated upgrades for the Imola Grand Prix, especially after the disastrous outing in Miami two weeks ago, carry the weight of a season potentially on the brink. Vasseur made a public pledge of maximum effort for the weekend—but should the results fall short in Emilia-Romagna, technical director Loïc Serra may face increasing scrutiny.
Serra, formerly with Mercedes and now finding his footing at Ferrari, has emphasized the urgent need for a completely redesigned rear end, including updated suspension—an upgrade expected just in time for Imola. Widely considered the SF-25’s main weakness, the car’s rear has become a critical concern. The Italian circuit now stands as the ideal testing ground to determine whether the issue has finally been resolved—and whether it was the only serious flaw all along.
Vasseur: “We’ve worked intensively”
Imola marks the seventh race of the season and Ferrari’s home Grand Prix—a pivotal moment. With Pirelli introducing new tyre compounds for the weekend, the stakes are high. For Ferrari, this race is not only a chance to finally close the gap to the seemingly untouchable McLaren, but also to claw back points from Red Bull and Mercedes, both of whom remain far ahead in the Constructors’ Championship.
Fred Vasseur had this to say:”After the first six races, held across three different continents, we now begin the European leg of the championship at Imola. Since the last Grand Prix, we’ve been working intensively in Maranello, paying attention to every detail ahead of the upcoming race, with the goal of maximizing our potential”. “.
“Our aim is to extract the most from our package and give Charles and Lewis the conditions they need to perform at their best on a demanding track. We’ll also have the support of our Italian fans, which we greatly appreciate“. Whether these will remain just words or finally translate into action on the track remains to be seen.
Photo: Scuderia Ferrari HP
