Ferrari engineers have chosen their scapegoat for the 2025 season and it’s not Lewis Hamilton

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Ferrari’s 2025 F1 car is fundamentally flawed. That much has been clear from the second round of the season, when Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were both disqualified.

Hamilton had won the Sprint race in China, showcasing the car’s potential. However, when he was thrown out of the long race for excessive plank wear, Ferrari realised they would have to raise their car.

This cost the team downforce but ensured compliance with the regulations. As an extra layer of precaution, Ferrari drivers repeatedly have to lift and coast during races, though the team say this is standard practice up and down the pit lane.

The Scuderia have scored seven podiums this season but have failed to win any of the first 21 races. They’re at risk of finishing outside the top three in the championship for just the fourth time since 1993.

Ferrari engineers have pinned 2025 car problems on Enrico Cardile

The root of Ferrari’s problems arguably lies in the 2024 season. They appeared closer to ending their title drought than ever, winning five races and finishing just 14 points behind McLaren in the constructors’.

But in July, the team announced that technical director Enrico Cardile had handed in his notice, with Aston Martin confirming a day later that they’d signed him. Ferrari had already poached Loic Serra from Mercedes, but he was arriving too late to meaningfully influence the SF-25.

• READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari season may have been spoiled by one employee who no longer works for the team

Thus, Ferrari were left with Cardile’s blueprint, but he wasn’t around to see the project through to its completion. Team principal Fred Vasseur took over as interim technical director but couldn’t devote himself fully to the role.

According to Motorsport Italia, Ferrari engineers absolve themselves of responsibility by describing the SF-25 as ‘Cardile’s creation’. This, however, overlooks the role of aerodynamics chief Diego Tondi and chassis head Fabio Montecchi.

How Lewis Hamilton sparked ‘resentment’ behind the scenes at Ferrari

With the engineers perhaps guilty of deflecting the blame and the mechanics excelling in the pit-stop department, there are signs that Ferrari are now turning on their drivers.

In a stunning interview, chairman John Elkann told Hamilton and Leclerc to ‘talk less’ and focus more on driving.

It’s said that some Ferrari staff ‘resented’ Hamilton’s audit of their operations, which he presented in feedback documents. The 40-year-old hasn’t reached Leclerc’s level on track.

However, Ralf Schumacher has theorised that Elkann’s comments were aimed at Leclerc amid whispers that the Monegasque is looking to join another team.