JUST IN: Ferrari Struggle to Uncover ‘Mystery’ Issues Ahead of Crucial Monaco Grand Prix as C…read more
Ferrari Struggle to Uncover ‘Mystery’ Issues Ahead of Crucial Monaco Grand Prix — Concerns Mount for Hamilton and Leclerc
Ferrari is facing a growing crisis ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix as the team admits it is still unable to identify or solve a series of mysterious performance issues plaguing their 2025 challenger — raising serious concerns for both Charles Leclerc and incoming teammate Lewis Hamilton.
The Scuderia, who had high hopes of competing for wins this season, have been battling erratic car behavior over the last few race weekends. While the team showed flashes of speed during qualifying sessions, their performance during race conditions has been inconsistent — with unexplained tyre degradation, balance fluctuations, and setup sensitivity appearing without warning.
Unpredictable Car Behavior Raises Alarms
Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur confirmed that despite intensive simulations and data analysis at Maranello, Ferrari’s engineers have not yet isolated the root cause of the recurring issues.
“We are dealing with something we don’t fully understand yet,” Vasseur said during a press conference in Monaco. “The data sometimes points in one direction, but when we test it on track, the results don’t match. It’s frustrating and potentially dangerous for our strategy, especially here in Monaco, where confidence in the car is everything.”
Sources within the team describe the car as being “on a knife edge” — quick in specific conditions but prone to sudden understeer or loss of rear grip, often without changes in external variables. The problem appears to be linked to aerodynamics and the way the car responds to various track surfaces and temperatures — but attempts to tune the setup around it have led to mixed results.
Leclerc and Hamilton Face Risk in Monaco
Monaco is one of the most technical and unforgiving circuits on the F1 calendar, and confidence in machinery is essential for drivers to extract maximum performance. For hometown hero Charles Leclerc — who has historically struggled to finish his home race — the timing of these unresolved problems could not be worse.
Hamilton, meanwhile, has his sights set on ending his final season at Mercedes on a high before making the leap to Ferrari in 2026. But with the team’s current state of uncertainty, insiders worry that even the seven-time world champion’s experience may not be enough to overcome the car’s fundamental flaws if they persist into next season.
“This isn’t just a setup issue, it feels like the car changes character mid-stint,” said one Ferrari engineer anonymously. “We’re chasing shadows.”
Urgency Ahead of Monaco Weekend
Ferrari has brought a modified floor and diffuser package to Monaco in hopes of mitigating some of the inconsistencies, but team officials admit these are stopgap measures rather than long-term fixes. The team is also trialing a revised suspension setup to help stabilize the car’s handling around the bumpy, low-speed streets of Monte Carlo.
However, without a clear diagnosis, there’s no guarantee these updates will yield the intended results — meaning Leclerc and Hamilton could find themselves battling not only rivals on track but also the unpredictable behavior of their own machinery.
Rival Teams Watch Closely
Ferrari’s internal struggles have not gone unnoticed. Red Bull and McLaren, currently leading the championship race, are reportedly monitoring the situation closely. Should Ferrari fail to resolve their gremlins, it could significantly impact the Constructors’ Championship and even driver strategies heading into the second half of the season.
As Monaco looms, Ferrari faces one of its most critical weekends of the year not just for points, but for answers. If they can’t find them soon, the dream of a home victory for Leclerc and a seamless transition for Hamilton in 2026 may quickly turn into a nightmare.
