The Austrian Grand Prix weekend offered a glimmer of hope for Scuderia Ferrari, with drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc providing positive feedback on the team`s performance and the impact of recent car developments. While a victory remained out of reach, a strong points haul and encouraging pace suggested Maranello is heading in the right direction.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who equalled his best result of the 2025 season with a fourth-place finish at the Red Bull Ring, was notably upbeat. Hamilton described Ferrari`s operational execution during the weekend as `world-class`, particularly following his season`s best qualifying performance in fourth position. Despite finishing approximately ten seconds adrift of his podium-scoring teammate, Charles Leclerc, Hamilton maintained a positive outlook on the race itself.
Ferrari introduced a revised floor component in Austria, a targeted upgrade aimed at improving aerodynamic performance and, critically, allowing the car to run closer to its theoretical optimum height without incurring issues. Hamilton was quick to acknowledge the efforts behind this development.
“Mega progress for us as a team,” Hamilton stated, expressing gratitude to the factory personnel. He noted that while the upgrade might have seemed modest `on paper`, its influence on track performance appeared significant. The result positioned Ferrari as the second-fastest team over the Austrian weekend, only surpassed by McLaren, and notably pulled them well clear of rivals like Mercedes, whose George Russell finished over half a minute behind Hamilton.
Hamilton expressed satisfaction with the team`s collective effort and the outcome, securing “really strong points”. He highlighted a sense of improved composure and methodical operation within the team at the event, contributing to a “better output”.
Leclerc Echoes Progress, Remains Realistic
Charles Leclerc, who secured his fourth podium of the season in Austria, also acknowledged the positive trend. Ferrari has faced challenges this year, including issues related to the rear suspension that have limited their ability to run the car low to the ground – a crucial factor for generating downforce in the current technical regulations. The efforts, partly driven by lessons learned from earlier incidents like the disqualification in China related to plank wear, appear to be yielding results.
“We are working in the right direction,” Leclerc affirmed, noting the upgrades helped close the gap, albeit acknowledging that it remains “significant”. He stressed the importance of continuing the aggressive development pace to bring further improvements as soon as possible.
Leclerc`s recent run of form, with three podiums in the last four races, provides empirical evidence of Ferrari`s gradual performance enhancement. However, the Monegasque driver offered a realistic assessment of the championship picture.
While the prospect of a win would be “really nice” for team morale and validation of their development efforts, Leclerc admitted that overturning the current points deficit to challenge for the Constructors` Championship this season is “very unlikely”. He reasoned that McLaren shows no sign of faltering and emphasized that the focus must remain on working hard and extracting every possible lesson from the remainder of the 2025 campaign to build towards the future.
Looking Ahead to Silverstone
The positive momentum from Austria sets the stage for the upcoming British Grand Prix at Silverstone. For Lewis Hamilton, the event holds particular significance, being his home race and a venue where he holds a record nine victories. The team will be aiming to carry forward the understanding gained from the new floor and the overall improved operational performance seen in Austria.
While the championship remains a distant prospect for 2025, the signs of genuine progress from Ferrari in recent races offer encouragement. The team appears to be systematically addressing its car`s limitations, and the feedback from both drivers confirms that these efforts are translating into improved on-track performance, piece by piece.
