A truly important race for the two Ferrari drivers, who responded well after a qualifying session that fell short of expectations.
A riddle as old as time itself—one that, over the past three months, has been unveiled to the world. The emergence of early difficulties had delayed any final judgment, but after seven races, it’s still hard to form a unified and wholly positive opinion about the unusual behavior of the SF-25, Maranello’s latest creation.
The Imola weekend echoed, almost identically, the script seen in Saudi Arabia and Miami, where Ferrari endured its worst weekend of the season. A Saturday to forget, with a car struggling severely to get the soft tires into the correct temperature window, followed by a Sunday with a strong race pace (once again, the third-best team) that made nearly one hundred thousand spectators at Imola dare to dream.
The race was full of emotion, sparked by an excellent strategy from the Scuderia, who pitted Leclerc early to fit the hardest compound. It was a brilliant move, and a virtual third place was only undone by the appearance of a Virtual Safety Car at the worst possible moment. Bad luck and Charles—two perfectly parallel lines. The final sixth-place finish hardly does justice to the Monegasque’s great comeback, though perhaps he was too conservative in not opting for new tires in the final thirteen laps.
It’s easy to speculate with hindsight, but something might have happened—perhaps even a podium for Ferrari’s number 16. Yet, on the final lap, he was overtaken at Turn 1 by Albon, losing fifth place. It’s frustrating trying to figure it out every weekend, as Leclerc himself admits. But with lion-hearted bravery—perhaps even bordering on recklessness—he continues to believe in something incredibly, painfully difficult.
At this moment, Ferrari is not living up to the level of its drivers—and Hamilton’s resurgence confirms it. While some have already written him off as “washed-up” or semi-retired (amid conspiracies aplenty), Lewis answers like a true champion, delivering a performance worthy of his pedigree and his seven stars on Formula 1’s Hall of Fame.
His race resembled a diesel engine—quiet at the beginning, explosive at the end. The late boost came courtesy of a Safety Car period and a switch to the yellow compound after starting the race on hards. Even Hamilton’s fourth place leaves a hint of regret, finishing just over a second behind Piastri, yet visibly energized—greeted by a crowd as massive and fervent as the one recently seen in Vatican City.
To be or not to be Ferrari, that is the question. The 2025 season feels like a tragicomedy with implausible and elusive plot twists. But one thing remains clear: the passion and pride of Hamilton and Leclerc, two prancing horses ready to charge toward meaningful goals.
Photo: Scuderia Ferrari Gallery
