Ferrari's Texas Disaster: Hamilton and Leclerc Left Stunned

Ferrari experienced a disastrous Sprint Qualifying in Austin, a stark contrast to their victory at the Circuit of the Americas last year. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc appeared baffled and uncharacteristically despondent, struggling to find pace while Nico Hülkenberg's Sauber sensationally outpaced them.

Why it matters:

Ferrari's profound struggles in Austin highlight a significant performance regression compared to the previous season. The team's inability to compete at the front, especially when a midfield car like Sauber is outperforming them, raises serious questions about the SF-25's fundamental competitiveness and signals growing frustration within the team, particularly from their star drivers.

The Details:

• Sprint Qualifying Debacle: Charles Leclerc will start the Sprint from tenth place, while Lewis Hamilton managed only eighth. Nico Hülkenberg, in his Sauber, qualified an astonishing fourth, significantly ahead of both Ferraris.
• Leclerc's Frustration: Despite earlier claims that the season wouldn't "depress" him, Leclerc admitted, "Today was a really bad day." A gearbox issue in practice and the subsequent qualifying performance underscored the SF-25's lack of competitiveness.
• Hamilton's Struggles: Hamilton, who was fourth in SQ1, lost nearly four-tenths of a second to Hülkenberg later on. He described the car as "very difficult to drive; it simply slipped away from us." Wind conditions exacerbated balance issues, costing Ferrari almost half a second to Verstappen in the fast S-curves alone.
• Rear-End Grip Issues: The SF-25 suffered from a severe lack of rear-axle grip in the final corners, a critical deficit. Hamilton lamented, "Eight-tenths, that's a mountain to climb."
• Leclerc's Resignation: Leclerc seemed mentally drained, stating over the radio, "We are so far behind. I would be very surprised if we find something that makes such a leap." He concluded that the current performance level is simply the car's limit.

The Big Picture:

Ferrari's performance in Austin is not just a one-off bad day; it's another blow following a weak Singapore weekend. The team is now being beaten not only by Red Bull and McLaren but also by Williams, Aston Martin, and Hülkenberg's Sauber. Leclerc acknowledged Hülkenberg's strong showing: "Perhaps they understood something that escaped us." This escalating crisis puts Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur under increasing pressure, and the drivers' patience appears to be wearing thin.

What's next:

With the SF-25 showing significant limitations, the focus will quickly shift to how Ferrari addresses these deep-seated performance issues. Resolving the car's handling and grip problems will be paramount. The team faces an uphill battle to regain competitiveness, and their response in the upcoming races will be crucial in determining the trajectory of their season and potentially the stability within the team's leadership.