Ferrari chief Frederic Vasseur says the team has to work out how to “take advantage of the full potential” of his 2025 car before the Japanese Grand Prix after a difficult start to the new season.
Scuderia’s embarrassing double disqualification from the last race in China leaves them in fifth place in the designers’ championships, 61 points behind the early McLaren leaders, and needs an improved weekend in Suzuce.
While from their SF-25 car, there were flashes of strong potential-for example, the new signing of Lewis Hamilton’s pole and then the dominant victory in the 19-year sprint in Shanghai-Dosud did not prove to be a consistent challenger of their leading rivals with or British driver or Charles Lecler.
“As far as the team is concerned, now we have to focus on each other more than ever to make the full potential of the SF-25,” said Vasseur, director of Ferrari, in the Japanese preview of the team.
“Because so far we have only done it on Friday and during the sprint in China.
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Bernie Collins looks closer at how Ferrari has suffered double disqualification on the Chinese Grand Prix and how expensive it will be for the team this season.
“Formula 1 is about details from preparation for weekend preparations in the factory, to the right way, while adapting to changing conditions during the race.
“As soon as we succeed, we will have a clearer idea of where we stand.”
After lost 18 points earned for the original fifth and sixth place in the Chinese Grand Prix, Ferrari’s early season stands at only 17 points heading to Suzuky-A behind the fourth placed Williams for results.
It is their worst return after two races since 2009.
Ferrari faces a decisive weekend in Japan
Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz talks about the latest edition of The F1 Show:
“For me, Ferrari is a big story.
“The answer from them to what was described in Italy as a disaster or a calamity weekend, double disqualification for different things.
“When you think Lewis Hamilton is on nine points and Charles Leclerc is on eight points in the driver’s ranking, I’m looking for a Ferrari reaction.”
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Ted Kravitz reveals that when promoting the usual notebook, he missed a great detail after the Chinese Grand Prix on the International Circuit in Shanghai Audi.
And at Hamilton’s beginning in Ferrari:
“I think Hamilton will be happy enough with the direction in which he enters, especially after winning Sprint in China, but Ferrari has to get his horse back to gallop.”
Thursday 3rd April
- 5:00: Driver’s press conference
Friday 4th April
- 3AM: Japanese practical GP one (session starts at 3.30 pm)*
- 5.30: 00: Team directors press conference
- 6.45: 00: Japanese practice GP Two (session starts at 7 o’clock)*
- 8.15: 00: Show F1*
Saturday 5th April
- 3.15: 00: Japanese practice GP three (session starts at 3.30 pm)*
- 6:00: Japanese qualification of Japanese GP*
- 7:00: Qualification of Japanese GP*
- 9:00: Ted’s qualifying notebook*
Sunday 6th April
- 4.30: Setup of Japanese GP: Sunday Grand Prix*
- 6:00: Japanese Grand Prix*
- 8:00: Japanese GP reaction: chessboard*
- 9:00: Ted’s notebook*
*Live also at the main Sky Sports event
Formula 1 heads to the iconic SUZUKA for the Japanese Grand Prix on 4.-6. April, lives on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with now – no contract whenever cancel
