The 2025 Formula 1 season continues to deliver high drama, with the Italian Grand Prix at Monza serving as another pivotal moment.

While the spotlight was firmly on the dominant Red Bull and McLaren teams, one of the most intriguing narratives came from Ferrari, where Lewis Hamilton’s performance was overshadowed by a series of strategic missteps.

In the aftermath of the race, Hamilton described Ferrari’s strategy as a “missed opportunity,” particularly reflecting on the moment they could have undercut George Russell, a key point in his race.

Hamilton’s Quick Climb Through the Field

Hamilton, starting from 10th on the grid after serving a penalty from the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, quickly proved he was not one to shy away from the challenge. From the outset, Hamilton looked more like the man on a mission than someone who was simply going through the motions. The British driver showed his usual grit, moving from 10th to 6th in the early laps. His progress was steady, as he muscled his way past Fernando Alonso and rookie Gabriel Bortalato to take sixth place.

Ferrari, however, rolled the dice with a risky strategy. They opted to stretch Hamilton’s first stint deep into the race, with his sole stop coming on lap 38 for a set of hard tires. When the pit stop sequence had finally settled, Hamilton crossed the line in sixth, just 5.3 seconds behind former Mercedes teammate George Russell. The question loomed: could Ferrari have done more to capitalize on Hamilton’s early momentum?

Ferrari’s Missed Strategic Window

Hamilton himself admitted that Ferrari had a golden opportunity to undercut Russell, but they let it slip away. Reflecting on the race after the checkered flag, he noted, “I had a really good start. I had to lift just after because it was such a good start, and then I got kind of squeezed in between two cars, but other than that, I positioned the car really nicely. I think I made my way forwards and I think I could have got fifth today. I think I was 1.5 seconds behind George. We should have tried to undercut him, but we missed that opportunity. Then I was miles behind after that.”

This moment of missed strategy would ultimately cost Hamilton dearly. Instead of challenging for a higher position, he found himself stuck behind Russell and unable to close the gap as effectively as he had hoped. The team’s failure to capitalize on the undercut potential marked a missed opportunity to gain crucial ground in the race for top positions. While Hamilton’s performance was commendable, it was clear that a more aggressive approach from Ferrari could have yielded better results.

A Steady Improvement with Ferrari

Despite the missed opportunity, Hamilton was far from discouraged. He acknowledged that while Ferrari’s pace wasn’t enough to challenge Red Bull and McLaren for the podium, it was clear that the SF25 had shown promise. “Ultimately, that’s driving kind of an alien driving style with a car that I’m not 100% comfortable with,” Hamilton said. “We obviously don’t have the pace of the cars much further ahead.”

The seven-time world champion’s comments reflected the ongoing challenge he faces in adapting to Ferrari’s car. After 12 seasons at Mercedes, where Hamilton’s driving style became closely entwined with the car’s characteristics, adjusting to the SF25 has proven difficult. The car’s handling and performance are vastly different, and Hamilton has had to learn to adjust his driving to unlock its potential. However, the positive signs are there: Hamilton is steadily improving, and his confidence with the car is growing with each race.

Despite not being fully comfortable with the car yet, Hamilton has continued to make progress. As he remarked after the race: “Through the race, I’m just getting better and better, faster and faster and unlocking with that a gain of confidence.”

Looking to the Future: The 2026 Regulation Change

While the Italian Grand Prix may not have been the breakthrough Ferrari was hoping for, Hamilton is keeping his eyes on the bigger picture. With the sweeping regulation changes set for 2026, there is hope that the evolution of the sport will bring more competitive balance. In 2026, Formula 1 will undergo one of its most dramatic transformations in decades, with lighter, more compact cars, the introduction of active aero on both wings, and a complete switch to sustainable biofuels.

For Hamilton, the changes can’t come soon enough. “Hopefully, next year it’s not a driving style that’s here, so hopefully I can go back a little bit towards what I would choose to do,” he said. The new regulations, particularly the introduction of active aero, could play into Hamilton’s strengths, allowing him to extract more performance from the car and enabling Ferrari to become more competitive against the likes of Red Bull and McLaren.

Charles Leclerc and Ferrari’s Performance at Monza

While Hamilton’s performance in Monza was compelling, his teammate Charles Leclerc also faced a challenging weekend. Leclerc, starting from fourth, found himself unable to break into the top three, finishing the race in the same position where he started. The Monagas driver had briefly snatched third from Oscar Piastri early on, but a spirited battle with the Australian saw him lose the position back, and he was never able to mount a serious challenge for the podium thereafter.

Ferrari’s team boss, Frederic Vasseur, reflected on Leclerc’s early tussle with Piastri, suggesting that it may have had a detrimental effect on Leclerc’s tire wear and shaped the rest of his race. “It’s very difficult to imagine what could have been the race without this,” Vasseur explained. “It’s true that in the fight at the beginning we were not strange because he was able to overtake one or two times Piastri, but I think we are not in a good place, and we overrated massively the tires, and then we paid the price the next five or six laps when Russell was able to follow and the others were able to fly.”

This tire management issue highlighted one of the key weaknesses in Ferrari’s performance, particularly when compared to the dominance of Red Bull and McLaren. Ferrari’s ability to extract the maximum performance from its tires remains inconsistent, and it continues to be a factor that hampers their competitiveness against the faster teams.

Ferrari’s Italian Grand Prix: A Step in the Right Direction?

Ultimately, Ferrari’s performance at the Italian Grand Prix was a bittersweet one. While there were moments of brilliance, such as topping the time sheets in Friday’s practice sessions, the team was never able to challenge the front-runners when it mattered most. Leclerc’s fourth-place finish and Hamilton’s sixth-place result were solid, but both drivers found themselves outclassed by the sheer speed of Red Bull and McLaren. It’s clear that while Ferrari maximized its performance this weekend, the team remains on the fringes of victory rather than fighting for the top spots.

Leclerc, summing up the weekend, said: “We did our best. I mean, I don’t think that we left anything on the table on that. It’s just that for now, we don’t quite have the car.”

As Ferrari looks ahead to the rest of the 2025 season and the challenges that lie ahead, there will undoubtedly be further questions about whether the team can close the gap to its rivals. While Monza was not the breakthrough many had hoped for, the potential is there. With Hamilton’s growing confidence in the SF25 and the looming regulatory changes, Ferrari’s future in Formula 1 may be brighter than it appears at first glance.

Conclusion

The Italian Grand Prix highlighted both the promise and the frustration Ferrari is currently experiencing. While Hamilton’s performance was strong, it was clear that strategic missteps and tire management issues prevented the team from making a bigger impact on the podium. As the season progresses, Ferrari will need to refine its strategy and car performance to compete more effectively against the faster teams. Whether they can close the gap will depend on how well they adapt to the challenges of the remaining races and the upcoming regulation changes in 2026. The road ahead may be long, but Ferrari’s potential remains undeniable.