The primary European race of the season went kind of as anticipated. Earlier than the Grand Prix, we have been hoping to see a mixture of one- and two-stop methods, and believed Ferrari ought to take a number of extra dangers by splitting methods between its drivers to place stress on rival pit partitions. That’s precisely what occurred, and actually, the Maranello wall managed to disrupt a number of races. Sadly, the VSC triggered by Ocon after which the Security Automotive for Antonelli allowed everybody to change to 2 stops, successfully cancelling out the efforts of these like Leclerc who had opted for that method from the beginning.
The recapThe most typical technique was Medium-Laborious-Laborious, with pit stops made below each neutralizations. Max Verstappen and Lando Norris (who managed their first stint on the Mediums nicely, particularly Max), together with Albon and Hadjar, all adopted this plan. Then we noticed a Laborious-Medium-Laborious for Hamilton, who additionally capitalized on the neutralizations to make his tyre adjustments. Lastly, Yuki Tsunoda and Hulkenberg accomplished a one-stop technique (Laborious-Medium), with the pit cease through the VSC. This method labored decently, with Yuki ending tenth regardless of ranging from the pit lane.
The remaining had methods negatively impacted by the Security Automobiles. Pit stops got here simply earlier than the neutralizations. Piastri, Leclerc, Russell, Sainz, Gasly, and Lawson ran a two-stop Medium-Laborious-Laborious technique, with an early first pit. Colapinto additionally used M-H-H, pitting simply earlier than the Digital. Aston Martin tried a Medium-Laborious-Medium plan, falling into Ferrari’s lure too late and ending outdoors the factors. Bearman had an odd H-M-H with solely two laps on C5 Mediums, whereas Bortoleto went M-H-H-M and completed final. Antonelli and Ocon retired attributable to technical points.
Leclerc haunted by dangerous luckIn our view, Ferrari made the precise choices at Imola. Splitting methods made sense, and the timing of Leclerc’s first cease was well-judged. Charles pitted very early, on lap 10, triggering sufficient chaos to leap from eleventh on the grid to forward of Russell (who began third), Alonso, and Carlos Sainz, finally closing to inside 4 seconds of Piastri. It might have been attention-grabbing to see how this tactic performed out, however each the VSC and full Security Automotive ruined his plans—twice.
Despite the fact that Leclerc had already stopped, Ferrari pitted him once more below the VSC to degree the taking part in discipline with front-runners who have been anticipated to run a one-stop. It was assumed those that had already stopped would now transfer to 2 stops below equal circumstances. After 29 laps, Charles had used up each accessible units of Mediums and Hards. When the Antonelli Security Automotive got here out, Leclerc requested to change to the one compound left: a contemporary set of C6 Softs. With 17 laps remaining, Ferrari selected to not danger the softer tyre’s sturdiness and stored him out on the Hards fitted at lap 29. This left him weak to Hamilton and Albon, each of whom had contemporary C4 Hards.
To make issues worse, the monitor took seven laps to clear, that means a 10-lap dash to the end.
In hindsight, Ferrari may have risked becoming the C6 Softs, however couldn’t have predicted that it will take so lengthy to renew racing. Had the race restarted shortly, the Softs wouldn’t have lasted competitively. So, given the circumstances, Ferrari’s resolution was justified.
The others’ racesVerstappen, Norris, Hamilton, and Albon benefited from well-timed Security Automobiles. Max used his dominant tempo to safe an uncontested win. Norris lacked the tempo to problem. Oscar Piastri, like Charles Leclerc, was penalized by stopping too early. Oscar adopted Charles’ method nearly identically and in addition pale within the last laps, shedding out to Norris. A disgrace about Antonelli’s retirement—he was operating an ideal race and was in P8 forward of Russell when he needed to cease on lap 46.
Russell paid a worth for copying Leclerc’s technique too late, shedding many positions. The timing of the 2 neutralizations did the remaining.
The SF-25 is destroying FerrariThe race tempo and tyre administration from Leclerc and Hamilton fully overshadowed Saturday’s statements. It made sense to be disillusioned after each Ferraris have been knocked out in Q2, however claiming the SF-25 lacks potential is simply as unsuitable. If the automobile really lacked tempo, climbing to P4 and P6 from outdoors the highest 10 would’ve been inconceivable.
The automobile appears to be destabilizing the Ferrari surroundings. Engineers and drivers nonetheless haven’t discovered how one can optimize the setup to get one of the best out of the tyres, however the potential is clearly there. The issue is that it solely emerges below unpredictable circumstances and for causes that Ferrari’s engineers have but to completely perceive.
Pirelli: extra technique choices because of softer compounds at ImolaPirelli’s Motorsport Director, Mario Isola, commented after the race:“The selection to go one step softer than final 12 months turned out to be the precise one. If we take a look at the primary a part of the race, we noticed how only one shock transfer—Leclerc’s early cease—modified the strategic panorama: some tried to stretch the primary stint, clearly aiming for a one-stopper, whereas others have been pressured to react to the effectiveness of the undercut by Ferrari. The mixture of latest tyres and clear air helped Leclerc achieve many positions.”
“What occurred within the second a part of the race makes it inconceivable to know the way efficient that early cease would’ve been, or whether or not it will’ve pressured two stops. However finally, selecting softer tyres opened up extra strategic potentialities—each when it comes to cease depend and stint size,” Isola concluded.
Could 19, 2025
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