Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur has expressed that he possesses “great confidence” in the team, despite admitting that “mistakes” were made with its 2025 Formula 1 car.
The winter anticipation that Ferrari would begin the campaign in immediate championship contention has not materialised as it has endured a harrowing start to 2025.
The Italian marque has experienced unintended complications with a revamped SF-25 machine, consigning the team to a single podium across the opening six races.
Having mounted a late resurgence to battle McLaren to the wire last season, Ferrari now trails three spots and an alarming 152 points behind the reigning champions.
There had been signs in pre-season that Ferrari were not on a par with McLaren, although Vasseur denied that was related to the radical changes it had committed to.
But while he has pledged his trust in the current crop to turn around the team’s prospects, the Frenchman has recognised the SF-25 was designed with inherent flaws.
“95 per cent of the team is the same team that participated in the 2023, ’24 and ’25 projects,” Vasseur highlighted.
“I am convinced that if you do a project with problems it does not mean that the structure does not work.
“I have great confidence in our team, we know we have to improve, but that is a constant in motorsport.
“Even if you are in first position you know you have to keep improving, otherwise you expose yourself to attacks from your rivals.
“Coming back to this year, we probably made mistakes with the car, we have to do a better job.
“But the motivation is there, the mentality is there, and I’m sure we just have to keep growing, identifying and solving problems.
Ferrari struggles not down to existing TD
Vasseur has stressed that Loic Serra, who began his role as Ferrari’s Technical Director in October, had limited involvement in the core design ideas behind the SF-25.
“When Loic arrived at Maranello six months ago, the current single-seater was already, let’s say, ninety per cent defined,” he clarified.
“Then, of course, it depends on the individual items, but the basic design decisions had already been taken.
“I mean the weight distribution, the wheelbase, the general concept, and so on. It’s something that affects all teams, when you change the technical leadership.”
Ferrari pressing on with 2025 development
And although Ferrari’s protracted title drought since 2008 appears poised to continue, Vasseur has dismissed that the side is considering switching attention to 2026.
“We often find ourselves at the end of race weekends with the feeling that we have not extracted the maximum from the car, and until we have this feeling I cannot say that I know the exact potential of the project. That’s why I think there are still signs of improvement,” he concluded.
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