Fred Vasseur says Ferrari needs patience to succeed in 2025 F1 season

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur compares Formula One success to cooking as team chases form in tightly contested season.

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari gets ready to drive during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on April 18, 2025, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Photo by Peter Fox/LAT Images

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Fred Vasseur says Ferrari needs patience to succeed in the 2025 F1 season, emphasizing that success won’t come overnight. Speaking to media on Friday, the Ferrari team principal likened Formula One performance to “cooking”—a process that depends not just on having the right ingredients but knowing exactly when to use them.

It’s a fitting metaphor for a team that continues to search for consistency amid fierce competition from McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes. Ferrari has not won a drivers' title since 2007, and despite the excitement around Lewis Hamilton’s arrival, the start of the season has been mixed at best.

Slow start puts pressure on Ferrari early in the campaign

So far in 2025, Ferrari’s best results have come through Charles Leclerc, who managed two fourth-place finishes in Bahrain and Japan. Hamilton, meanwhile, provided a glimpse of what’s possible with a spirited sprint race win in China, but that highlight has been more of an exception than the norm in a season that’s already beginning to slip away.

After just four rounds of a 24-race calendar, Ferrari finds itself fourth in the constructors’ standings—94 points behind a revitalized McLaren. Red Bull and Mercedes are also ahead, leaving the Scuderia searching for answers and rhythm as the European leg of the season approaches.

Vasseur, now in his second full season as team boss, is not panicking.

“The ingredients are all there, but it's like cooking,” he said. “You have to put the ingredients together at the right stage.”

A calm leader in the chaos of Formula One

One of the key attributes that Vasseur has brought to Ferrari since taking over is his calm, methodical approach to leadership. At 56, he has years of experience in motorsport management and is widely respected in the paddock for his honesty and composure.

“You have to stay calm,” he told reporters. “It’s not a drama. This is only the fifth race.”

Vasseur's words are a reminder that success in Formula One—especially in an era where the top teams are so closely matched—requires a long-term mindset. A single mistake in a qualifying lap or pit stop strategy can drop a team several places, such is the competitiveness at the front of the field in 2025.

“Today, the front of the pack is so tight that a small mistake can cost five or six positions,” he added. “It means that we need to stay calm and do the analysis.”

Hamilton adapting to life in red

Much of the attention at Ferrari this year has revolved around Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion shocked the motorsport world with his decision to leave Mercedes after 12 seasons and join Ferrari for 2025.

While Hamilton’s win in the sprint race in China showed his raw talent is as sharp as ever, the Briton has been open about the challenge of adapting to the Scuderia’s SF-25. The car has a different handling profile compared to the Mercedes he drove for over a decade, and getting used to the nuances has taken time.

“My focus this weekend is driving style,” Hamilton said ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. “Really getting on top of the circuit and getting into a rhythm.”

Hamilton finished fifth in Bahrain, a solid result, but not what fans have come to expect from the most successful driver in Formula One history. He knows that adjusting his approach to corners, braking points, and car feedback will take time.

“I’ve got a lot of work to do to adapt the way I approach corners, but it’s not impossible,” he explained. “It might just take a little bit of time—but hopefully not too long.”

Russell backs Hamilton to deliver at Ferrari

One of the drivers best placed to comment on Hamilton’s transition is George Russell. The Mercedes driver spent two seasons as Hamilton’s teammate and knows first-hand what the veteran can do when everything clicks.

Russell believes that Hamilton’s adaptation period is temporary and that fans should expect to see more standout performances as the season progresses.

“We saw it in China,” said Russell. “Second race of the season, on pole in the sprint, wins the race comfortably.”

He emphasized that changing teams is never easy, especially when the competition at the front is so intense.

“It’s not easy going into a new team and the competition is tough, but he’s an amazing driver,” Russell said. “I’m sure when things start to click, as they did in China, we’ll see more of that magic.”

Ferrari must blend speed, strategy, and stability

For Ferrari, the road ahead is as much about execution as it is about outright speed. With the top four teams separated by small margins, races are being won and lost in the finer details—pit stop timing, tire selection, and split-second decisions during qualifying.

Vasseur’s comments about cooking are more than just metaphorical—they reflect the reality of what Ferrari needs to do. The team has the talent. They have the technical know-how. And in Leclerc and Hamilton, they arguably have the strongest driver pairing on the grid.

But without the ability to bring everything together—precisely, consistently, and at the right time—they risk watching another season pass without serious title contention.

Patience or pressure?

While Vasseur continues to preach patience, the pressure from fans, media, and Ferrari’s own board will inevitably grow if results don’t follow. The Tifosi expect victories and titles, and even a high-profile addition like Hamilton won’t buy unlimited time.

Yet the message from Maranello, at least for now, remains steady. It’s not about panic—it’s about process. And for a team that’s been chasing glory for nearly two decades, getting the recipe right is more important than rushing to the finish.

Fred Vasseur says Ferrari needs patience to succeed, and as the season continues to unfold, the F1 world will be watching to see if his faith in timing and preparation pays off.