Vasseur pardons Hamilton for his remark about the car being 'undriveable'.

      "During the race simulation, he showed impressive speed."

      As Charles Leclerc grows increasingly optimistic about Ferrari's performance, Lewis Hamilton's difficulties continue to worsen. Team principal Frederic Vasseur anticipated a positive impact from the clampdown on flexible wings this weekend in Barcelona, and it appears to have had some effect. Championship leader Oscar Piastri remarked after Friday's sessions that Max Verstappen is in contention for victory this weekend, noting that "Ferrari and Mercedes are also competitive." Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko concurred, stating, "Ferrari and Mercedes have narrowed the gap."

      Leclerc, who has seemed rather pessimistic during the early part of 2025, managed to qualify and finish P2 in Monaco last Sunday, and expressed on Friday in Barcelona: "We are not far away. The performance is there." However, the outlook from the other Ferrari driver was starkly different. He told his prominent race engineer, Riccardo Adami, that the car was "undriveable." The seven-time world champion even took issue with the FIA's attempt to limit front wing flexibility, disagreeing with his former boss Toto Wolff's view that the clampdown could benefit Ferrari the most. "I have absolutely no idea what this (FIA clampdown) is supposed to achieve," Hamilton stated, "and where Toto got that impression from. I hope he’s right."

      The 40-year-old, however, is skeptical. "It hasn’t been fun," he shared with reporters late Friday. "It’s a beautiful place, the weather is incredible, but I wouldn’t say I’m motivating the team right now." Vasseur suggested that Hamilton's claim of the car being "undriveable" was exaggerated.

      "Hamilton is struggling," he told Sky Italia, "but in the race simulation, he was quick. I understand the frustration; perhaps the comment was extreme, but that’s the adrenaline talking. Lewis also had a very strong run on the soft tires, so the car wasn’t as terrible as he described over the radio."

      Ferrari is known for being tough on drivers who publicly criticize the team or the car. "Hamilton's comments on the car don’t concern me," Vasseur maintained, "as long as they can regroup in the truck and we have a constructive discussion. That’s the most critical part," the Frenchman added. "The balance isn't perfect yet, that's true. But I believe that's the case for others as well."

      Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, whose brother Michael clinched five consecutive titles with Ferrari, believes the pressure at the Scuderia is reaching a boiling point. "History has taught us that you won't be forgiven if things don't go well," he told Sky Deutschland. "However, if victories are elusive, it’s not the fault of just one person."