Ferrari, what Ferrari really lacks: what it really takes to become world champion again

The SF-25 convinces only halfway: speed, talent and ambition are no longer enough

Ferrari continues to chase that world title that has been missing from Maranello for far too long. The SF-25 has shown flashes of competitiveness, pole position and encouraging performances on some tracks, but at the decisive moment Ferrari has not been able to turn potential into consistency. And that is precisely where the question that has accompanied the paddock for months comes from: what is Ferrari really missing compared with the latest world champion cars?

The problem does not seem to be only technical. The impression that emerged during the season is that the team still has difficulty building a winning structure capable of reacting quickly to unexpected events, developing the car consistently and maintaining a clear identity throughout the entire championship.

The current Ferrari is fast, but not dominant. It is competitive, but not solid enough to prevail against teams that today appear more complete, like McLaren and Red Bull.

Leclerc and Hamilton point the way: “We need more consistency”

The Ferrari drivers are asking for a car that is more stable and predictable

Charles Leclerc has not hidden the difficulties of the SF-25 over the last few weekends. The Monegasque has repeatedly highlighted balance problems in fast corners and a window of use that is too narrow to extract the maximum from the car.

Lewis Hamilton, too, the star of the big move to Maranello, has sent very clear messages to the team. The seven-time world champion has spoken about the need to improve internal processes and speed up the technical understanding of the car, underlining how details now make the difference in Formula 1.

According to the Briton, Ferrari has the people and the resources to return to the top, but it must find that operational consistency that today separates winning teams from the chasers.

And it is precisely consistency that lies at the heart of the Ferrari question.

The world champion Ferraris were complete in every area

From tyre management to technical development: the comparison with Ferraris of the past

The great Ferraris of the Schumacher and Räikkönen era had one clear trait: they worked everywhere. They were not simply fast cars, but balanced, adaptable cars and, above all, reliable in every respect.

The SF-25, instead, continues to alternate highly competitive weekends with others that are extremely complicated. On some circuits it can fight for victory, while on others it suddenly struggles even against theoretically inferior teams.

This erratic trend highlights a structural limit that Maranello has still not managed to eliminate. The technical developments introduced during the season have not produced the expected step forward, and Ferrari has often found itself forced to chase its rivals even in understanding the updates.

The world champion cars of the past inspired confidence. Ferrari today, on the other hand, still appears fragile at the key moments of the championship.

The strategic issue continues to weigh on Ferrari's season

Operational errors and race reading still under scrutiny

Beyond the technical aspects, Ferrari continues to be under the spotlight on the operational front as well. Conservative strategies, compromised qualifying sessions and difficulty in quickly reading the evolution of races have often limited the final result.

In Formula 1 the margin between victory and defeat is minimal, and it is precisely in the details that Ferrari continues to lose ground to the best teams on the grid.

Frederic Vasseur has repeatedly defended the work done by the Maranello group, reiterating confidence in the technical project and in the team's growth. However, in the paddock the feeling remains that Ferrari still has to make the final mental leap to become a world title-winning machine once again.

Ferrari looks to 2026: the real chance to return to the top

The new regulatory era can change the balance of power

At Maranello, thoughts are already turned to the technical revolution of 2026 as well. The next generation of power units and the new aerodynamic regulations represent a huge opportunity to rewrite the balance of Formula 1.

Ferrari knows it cannot get this wrong. The investment in Hamilton, Leclerc's growth and Vasseur's work are all aimed at arriving ready for the new technical cycle.

To become world champion again, however, building a fast car will not be enough. Ferrari will need to be capable of definitively eliminating the fragilities seen in recent years: inconsistent development, pressure management and operational difficulties at the decisive moments.

Because what this Ferrari really lacks is not just a few tenths per lap. It lacks that sense of absolute control that made Ferrari the benchmark of Formula 1.

And until Maranello rediscovers that technical and mental solidity, the championship will continue to remain a goal closer to dreams than to reality.