Leo Turini: It's salt in an open wound that's hard to heal...

      Leo Turrini, a renowned Italian journalist, has once again summarized the Austrian Grand Prix in his own unique way and offered warm words not only for the drivers of his favorite team, Ferrari...

      Where to start? First of all, I wish all the best to Frederic Vasseur – I will see him in Silverstone in a week when he returns to the pit wall.

      Speaking about the events in Austria, I immediately want to note that Ferrari's performance during the past weekend had both positive moments and, on the contrary, evoked quite the opposite feelings.

      It seems that the modernization of the SF-25, which is not particularly efficient, is finally bearing fruit. The car received a new floor, which allowed Charles Leclerc (who, as always, drove excellently) and Lewis Hamilton (who performed quite decently, considering that in 11 races he has not yet stepped on the podium) to confidently surpass Mercedes' George Russell.

      Perhaps Max Verstappen would have also been overtaken if Kimi Antonelli hadn't forced him off the track at the very start due to excessive hotheadedness. Thanks to Charles's podium and Lewis's fourth place, Scuderia Ferrari moved up to second in the constructors' standings. This is the maximum Ferrari can hope for in 2025, but it should also be their minimum goal. Although, overall, the season evokes a certain melancholy.

      Now, about the negative side. The speed difference compared to McLaren is just too great. In fact, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are competing in a different championship. Lando has clearly regained his spirit, while Oscar missed his chance at victory on Saturday. Briefly, even with the updated floor, Ferrari's cars could not keep up with the orange McLarens.

      Almost half the season is already behind us, and the statistics show that the factory team of the company led by John Elkan remains the only top team without a single win. We can basically forget about McLaren, but Red Bull and Mercedes still manage to win races.

      It's disappointing, it's salt in the wound that’s not easy to heal, especially after all the fanfare from Maranello during the winter. Fans would prefer to hear the ringing of the city’s bell tower, which always accompanies Ferrari's successes, but for now, we can only remember that.

      Finally, I want to express admiration for those drivers who do not give up, even if they drive the least competitive cars. I am talking about the immortal Fernando Alonso and his duels with the Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, who debuted in Formula 1 thanks to Matthias Binotto. I also think of Liam Lawson, who drives for a team whose history began as Minardi. The New Zealander seems to have risen from the ashes after the humiliating expulsion from Red Bull Racing.

      Despite the dominance of outrageously complex and modern technologies, it is comforting to realize that the human factor still matters.