FIA Decision backfire As Ferrari set to....

FIA Decision backfire As Ferrari set to…. read more

The FIA finds itself under scrutiny following a technical directive that forced Ferrari to alter its car design ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix — a move that had ripple effects across the competitive landscape, including for Lewis Hamilton.

Ferrari entered the Barcelona weekend with high hopes, not due to any significant new upgrades, but because they believed a new FIA regulation would hinder some of their closest rivals. The FIA had tightened front wing flexibility tests, cracking down on components that could be deemed excessively pliable — a change aimed at ensuring technical compliance and leveling the playing field.

The Italian team, who had named the Spanish GP as a potential turning point in their 2025 campaign, anticipated that the rule clarification would slow down competitors such as McLaren and Mercedes. Dubbed internally as a potential “resurrection day” for their season, Ferrari expected to gain ground in both qualifying and race pace.

However, things didn’t go according to plan. Despite their predictions, McLaren dominated qualifying, locking out the front row with Oscar Piastri taking pole and Lando Norris right behind. Piastri’s performance was particularly impressive, finishing more than three-tenths ahead of Max Verstappen, who was the fastest non-McLaren driver.

Ferrari found themselves trailing in qualifying, with Charles Leclerc only managing to qualify fourth, just ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes. George Russell also edged ahead of Ferrari in terms of pace, putting Ferrari behind their main competitors on Saturday’s single-lap performance.

Though the race yielded a decent result for the Scuderia, who walked away with 23 points and a podium for the second consecutive race courtesy of Leclerc, their pace still raised concerns. Leclerc admitted post-race that his podium was partially down to good fortune, especially after benefitting from a late-race safety car that reshuffled the field.

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton struggled to match the front-running pace under race conditions. Although he started the race from fifth, he dropped to seventh by the chequered flag, unable to extract competitive lap times from his Mercedes on full fuel loads.

The broader implications of the FIA’s enforcement of the new front wing rigidity tests are now under discussion. While Ferrari complied with the directive and adjusted their setup, the impact on performance was not as advantageous as they had hoped. Some observers have pointed out that Mercedes and McLaren — who were expected to be hurt most by the change — managed to improve or maintain their form.

This raises important questions about the effectiveness and fairness of the FIA’s mid-season regulatory interventions. With the competitive order remaining largely unchanged despite the directive, and teams like Ferrari feeling let down by their expectations, scrutiny of the FIA’s technical policy is likely to intensify in the weeks to come.

As the 2025 season progresses, all eyes will remain on how such regulations shape car development and influence the ongoing battle for supremacy among For

mula 1’s top teams.