Ferrari now have one internal ‘regret’ which has scuppered Lewis Hamilton’s move from Mercedes this season

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Ferrari will hope the second half of the 2025 Formula 1 season can lead to a significant improvement in their performance.

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton sit fifth and sixth in the drivers’ championship after 12 race weekends.

It puts Ferrari in the unusual position of being second in the constructors’ standings despite not winning a Grand Prix this year.

Hamilton’s Sprint victory in China is their most impressive achievement thus far, but there are high hopes for the next part of the campaign.

Ferrari plan to bring a rear suspension update to the Belgian Grand Prix after the successful launch of their new floor at the Red Bull Ring.

Fred Vasseur’s team appear to be spending more time, money and energy than many of their rivals on their 2025 car, with impending regulation changes on the horizon.

The Scuderia appear to be making up for the progress they lost over the winter break, and journalist and broadcaster Lawrence Barretto believes Ferrari are beginning to question some of the decisions made after a very successful 2024 campaign.

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Ferrari ‘regret’ change in development direction when Lewis Hamilton arrived for the 2025 season

Barretto was asked on the F1 Nation Podcast if there’s some light at the end of the tunnel when Ferrari introduce their new rear suspension in Spa, and he said: “I think there is.

“It finally feels like Ferrari are potentially on the right pathway. I think there is some regret internally that they took so much of a different pathway with the car; they changed so much of it over the winter.

“I think it’s always a risk and that risk can go one of two ways, it can really pay off and you can make that big step, or you could make it take a step back, and that’s obviously what’s happened this year.

“They were on the precipice, weren’t they, of fighting for the constructors’ championship, and on the precipice of actually winning the constructors’ championship.

“So, I think there is some real frustration at the car that they’ve gone to when they’ve taken the risk and they’ve tried something different, it hasn’t worked out this year.

“So, I think for them to bring that upgrade a couple of races ago and for it to have worked and for both drivers to feel a little bit more comfortable with the car is a good thing.”

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Ferrari in a ‘very good’ position for the 2026 Formula 1 season after recent struggles

All 10 teams on the grid, and the 11th team, Cadillac, are close to committing all of their resources to next year’s car.

A new power unit, using a greater proportion of electrical energy, and a revolutionised aerodynamics ruleset are producing plenty of challenges.

Adrian Newey thinks every team will be ‘struggling’ to come to terms with just how many changes are required compared to this year’s cars.

However, Ferrari’s 2026 car is said to be in a ‘very good’ position, which will give Hamilton and Leclerc hope that they can be championship contenders next year.

There are so many unknowns going into next year, and some of the confusion Hamilton has felt at Ferrari this season was likely to exist regardless of how competitive the car was.

Hamilton is adjusting to a new braking system, and a car that’s been run higher than he would have liked to avoid excessive plank wear.

Fred Vasseur’s position at Ferrari is under threat, and the team’s decision to change ‘99%’ of their car from 2024 will be a significant factor in the team’s decision on whether to continue with him next year.

He will have to hope that the team’s imminent updates have a significant impact on their performance and results between now and the season finale in Abu Dhabi.