2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Practice & Qualifying Thread

[FerrariF60]

Only good thing about Hamilton being so bad is that every race it gets funnier when people compare him to schumi, the actual goat

Very well said…Schumi IS the actual GOAT

[Kyss4k]

Only good thing about Hamilton being so bad is that every race it gets funnier when people compare him to schumi, the actual goat

Well we all know what happened when Michael came back to F1 when he was 41 years old. Hamilton is just 1 year younger than him now. So... Our Michael was beaten by Rosberg :X But I am sure, if the Merc was good, he would give him a fight. As well as Lewis would give a fight to Charles. They are just not the youngsters they used to be, ready to fight the car by the horns. But give them a proper car and they would deliver. I am sure of it. So to me Michael is the GOAT, but Lewis ain't far off.

[FerrariF60]

He won't. Charles is part of Ferrari.

Sadly for him he won’t leave….win or lose together….which is actually one losing than winning…:(

[nani_s23]

Not even close man. Lewis has had our only podium this season and it was a victory as well. He is getting in Q3, not like Checo who used to not go through Q1 all the time. It just looks to me like the car is such a b***ch that it's difficult to drive for a guy who was used to something totally different for a decade.

Now that RB 2nd second driver too getting into pts where Max takes P1 occasionally will help them in WCC.

WDC gonna be tight between Piastri/Norris/Max. May be a shift of performance after Spain TD.

[Kyss4k]

Now that RB 2nd second driver too getting into pts where Max takes P1 occasionally will help them in WCC.

WDC gonna be tight between Piastri/Norris/Max. May be a shift of performance after Spain TD.

Yeah, but Lewis is still infront of him. In a car that's slower than the Red Bull as Max has the pole, 4 tenths ahead of Charles. So?

[Aziz]

Ferrari went from qualifying heroes and sucking in the races, to being consistent in race trim, but sucking in qualifying. The previous era where Ferrari had tons of poles flattered the team, and masked their race performance issues from the headlines.

As for the historic problems of Ferrari, it's down to the equipment. They saw Red Bull and other teams investing heavily in simulator programs, and early on and got it in their heads that sims are not critical to development. I'm talking like, ten years ago. When you arrive at the track on the backfoot and have to spend all weekend looking for a good setup, while your rivals come to the track with better baselines, that's a major issue.

Then you've got the wind tunnels and how outdated they were allowed to get before Ferrari finally upgraded them.

You can hire the best talent in the world, but if they've got outdated tools, you're still not going to win championships.

I say, give Vasseur another few years. Part of the problem is the fans and Italian media want everyone fired the second the red cars aren't winning races. The team is unable to build any chemistry and trust with each other.

They can build chemistry, trust and even have marriage with each other but they would still suck at building a championship wining car.

And Fred looks like my late grandfather.....fat, inactive and senile.

[FerrariF60]

Now that RB 2nd second driver too getting into pts where Max takes P1 occasionally will help them in WCC.

WDC gonna be tight between Piastri/Norris/Max. May be a shift of performance after Spain TD.

Hopefully some of that performance shift will benefit us as well….but the pessimist that I am, I highly doubt it…I’ll believe it when I see it.

By then we’ll be so down on points that any chance at winning a championship will be out the window

[Dune]

This team has no ambitions. What a joke. How on earth can you work at Ferrari and be satisfied with mediocre?

[TonyRizza]

Imo Fred is just trying to be guenther steiner, funny man in front of the camera instead of focusing on his role

[aquaria]

Yeah... can!t believe it's already his 6th season for Ferrari. Remember the insane fight with Max in Bahrain 2022? This guy has it. Surely. Even if I doubt him sometimes, I guess it's just Ferrari letting the man down again and again. Just like we did it with Alonso and Vettel.

* 7th

I remember when Sebastian was leaving the team and on the helmet that he signed and gave to Charles he wrote "You are the most talented driver I came across in 15 years of F1. Don't waste it."


That was in 2020, five damn years ago. I think the only thing that's keeping him at Ferrari is his love for the team and desire/belief that he can win with us despite all the disappointments we gave him most of the time so far.

[Dune]

Sadly for him he won’t leave….win or lose together….which is actually one losing than winning…:(

It’s so sad to see how average Ferrari is, while having one of the fastest drivers in the world. Just sad.

[TonyRizza]

Leclerc would have won every race in the mclaren... Ferrari is wasting him unfortunately

[Kyss4k]

* 7th

I remember when Sebastian was leaving the team and on the helmet that he signed and gave to Charles he wrote "You are the most talented driver I came across in 15 years of F1. Don't waste it."


That was in 2020, five damn years ago. I think the only thing that's keeping him at Ferrari is his love for the team and desire/belief that he can win with us despite all the disappointments we gave him most of the time so far.

My bad! That's even worse... damn my math is bad. Well... he drives Ferrari cars on and off the track and is payed for doing so... I wouldn't go anywhere even if the team would be behind Sauber.

[Kyss4k]

Hopefully some of that performance shift will benefit us as well….but the pessimist that I am, I highly doubt it…I’ll believe it when I see it.

By then we’ll be so down on points that any chance at winning a championship will be out the window

Only time I remeber an in-season change in regulations made us stronger was in 2011 when FIA banned off throttle blown diffusers for Silverstone. Alonso dominated that race. What did we do with that? Allowed the ban to be lifetd for "the good of the sport". I will never ever forget that.

[patrese86]

Even when Charles was battling at the front in 2022 I’m not sure we had the best car, it was debatable. He’s always had to drive on the edge, I remember a couple of years back at Imola he was having to drive the car so hard and ended up making a mistake and Charles has made mistakes in a Ferrari but it’s because he’s always had to try and overdrive the car.

We shouldn’t be saying things like we don’t deserve him and Ferrari doesn’t deserve him. It’s the support we give him and the pride he feels in the history driving for this team that sets him apart from other drivers. We have to keep supporting Charles in the hope we turn it around.

[FerrariF60]

Even when Charles was battling at the front in 2022 I’m not sure we had the best car, it was debatable. He’s always had to drive on the edge, I remember a couple of years back at Imola he was having to drive the car so hard and ended up making a mistake and Charles has made mistakes in a Ferrari but it’s because he’s always had to try and overdrive the car.

We shouldn’t be saying things like we don’t deserve him and Ferrari doesn’t deserve him. It’s the support we give him and the pride he feels in the history driving for this team that sets him apart from other drivers. We have to keep supporting Charles in the hope we turn it around.

I totally am supporting Charles through goor or bad, but that day that Ferrari will give him a half decent car to fight for wins it seems like it never comes

[patrese86]

Just seen Charles interview with sky, honestly the guy is dripping with sweat and he looks exhausted. He’s also really down because he can’t believe how slow he is given everything he’s putting in.

It’s sad to see honestly :(

[Alonsomaniac]

If you ask any young boy who is driving karts what his dream is he will say: Become an F1 driver and worldchampion.
But not Charles. When he was asked that question many years ago he said: "My dream is driving F1 for Ferrari en becoming champion with them".
The first part has become reality 7 years ago but the second is still his dream. A dream he wants to become true just as bad as he wanted that the day they asked him that question.
He now knwos it will be very hard to realize that dream.
Now, talented as he is, he could go to another team and maybe become champion.
He would be happy of course, but it would always feel like a substitution because it was not what he really wanted.
Charles Leclerc will not leave as long as he believes it still may come true. The year Ferrari builds that winning car again, he wants to be there, he has to be there.
He is a real Ferrari child, not just a driver who happens to be in red.

So, we as fans should cherish that and keep supporting him. We know he can do it, and he knows he can do it. And if that winning car once comes, he will be there. And so will we.

[nani_s23]

Vasseur is convinced that #Ferrari has not put together the best of his package so far in #SaudiArabianGP* . Balance issues penalise #Hamilton but there is confidence for the race with #Leclerc starting on the second row.


I am not sure what is he talking.

[nani_s23]

Ferrari is the 9th team in the first 2 corners of the track

1: Mercedes (+0.000s)
2: McLaren (+0.036s)
3: Red Bull (+0.039s)
4: Williams (+0.078s)
5: Aston Martin (+0.148s)
6: Haas (+0.191s)
7: Alpine (+0.194s)
8: Racing Bulls (+0.195s)
9: Ferrari (+0.208s)
10: Kick Sauber (+0.265s)

[PURE PASSION]

Vasseur is convinced that #Ferrari has not put together the best of his package so far in #SaudiArabianGP* . Balance issues penalise #Hamilton but there is confidence for the race with #Leclerc starting on the second row.


I am not sure what is he talking.

Unfortunately all we hear is just words.
Always some explanation. And a goodish result hear and there, like we have to be praised with that.

[nani_s23]

Faster than in 2024
Alpine: -1.450s
Williams: -0.956s
Mercedes: -0.909s
McLaren: -0.785s
Haas: -0.484s
Kick Sauber: -0.397s
Racing Bulls: -0.356s
Red Bull: -0.178s
Ferrari: -0.121s


Ferrari built new car & we are only .1 faster than SF-24 ….hmm

[PURE PASSION]

Charles: "It‘s mixed feelings. I am happy about my job but I am disappointed, fighting for P4 is not what I want and not what makes me happy, so for now I am just disappointed.."
We will ruin a very good driver who deserves multiple championships. Of course I want to have them with Ferrari because as much as I support him , I could never celebrate hom winning with another team.

[nani_s23]

Charles: "It‘s mixed feelings. I am happy about my job but I am disappointed, fighting for P4 is not what I want and not what makes me happy, so for now I am just disappointed.."
We will ruin a very good driver who deserves multiple championships. Of course I want to have them with Ferrari because as much as I support him , I could never celebrate hom winning with another team.

Max keeps the pressure on RB & they are one of the best team in finding performance from Friday to Saturday.
Ferrari doesn’t have accountability to anyone of his drivers, especially Leclerc. They find other drivers feel passion about Ferrari & one day every top driver will drive for them.

I bet you, even if Max joins Ferrari (I doubt it) he can’t take Ferrari to the title unless it’s a championship wining car.

[jgonzalesm6]

Max keeps the pressure on RB & they are one of the best team in finding performance from Friday to Saturday.
Ferrari doesn’t have accountability to anyone of his drivers, especially Leclerc. They find other drivers feel passion about Ferrari & one day every top driver will drive for them.

I bet you, even if Max joins Ferrari (I doubt it) he can’t take Ferrari to the title unless it’s a championship wining car.

Ferrari are lost. They're still figuring out the pull-rod suspension and lowering the car. This was the track to lower the car. Instead, Ferrari went with a low downforce setup and sacrificed cornering speed for straight line speed hence why Leclerc mentions he feels the car sliding in the corners.

[Kyss4k]

Vasseur is convinced that #Ferrari has not put together the best of his package so far in #SaudiArabianGP* . Balance issues penalise #Hamilton but there is confidence for the race with #Leclerc starting on the second row.


I am not sure what is he talking.

He said this exact same thing after every quali this year. He is the same as all the others before him. This team is lost.

[FerrariF60]

He said this exact same thing after every quali this year. He is the same as all the others before him. This team is lost.

I agree 1000%, the team is TOTALLY LOST

[paolo lalli]

As they say if it looks like a lemon,smells like a lemon tastes like a lemon then it is a lemon the brand SF25.

[458 Italia]

Luckily the 499P is a peach.

[Brembo]

Both Oscar and Sainz are proof that it;s not just THE CAR !! Charles ..where are you?