Former Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve suggests that Ferrari is aware of their difficulties following a disappointing start to the 2025 season.
Lewis Hamilton, in his debut season with Ferrari after moving from Mercedes where he secured seven world championships, qualified eighth for the Japanese Grand Prix. His teammate Charles Leclerc qualified fourth. This comes after both drivers were disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix two weeks prior.
Hamilton`s victory in the sprint race in China has been a bright spot in his Ferrari tenure. However, both he and Leclerc finished outside the points in the Australian Grand Prix season opener, placing 10th and eighth respectively. They are both on low points totals heading into Sunday`s race at Suzuka.
Villeneuve, who won the 1997 world title with Williams, stated to Sky Sports F1: `They know they are in trouble and are unsure how to improve. They can see their rivals are progressing, which is concerning for Ferrari.`
Hamilton: `Not Good Enough on My Part`
Hamilton voiced his disappointment with his qualifying performance, stating it was `not good enough from my side.` He finished more than six-tenths of a second behind Max Verstappen, who surprisingly took pole position.
Red Bull`s Verstappen secured the top spot from McLaren`s championship leader Lando Norris with a lap time of 1:26.983, setting a new lap record at Suzuka.
Hamilton`s disqualification in China two weeks ago was due to excessive wear on his skid block. This might be why Ferrari opted for a higher car setup in Japan.
Hamilton commented after qualifying: `We are running higher than we would prefer, but everyone is in a similar situation.`
`Charles [Leclerc] performed exceptionally. We chose different setup directions. I experienced significant understeer and couldn`t adjust it effectively.`
Leclerc: `Significant Gap to McLaren and Red Bull`
When asked if Ferrari`s ride height was impacting performance, Leclerc responded: `We have other issues beyond ride height. I cannot elaborate too much.`
`In qualifying, particularly in Q3, things started to slip away slightly. I encountered either excessive oversteer or understeer. However, I was satisfied with the lap I managed.`
`Looking back at Friday practice, we identified something in my driving style that seemed more effective and boosted my confidence for the remainder of qualifying.`
`This is encouraging for the rest of the season, but the other problems might take longer to resolve. There is still a considerable gap to McLaren and Red Bull, and that is our objective.`
`Overall, it has been positive as I feel much more comfortable with the car.`
