Lewis Hamilton made history on Saturday, March 22, 2025, by clinching a sprint race win for Ferrari at the Chinese Grand Prix, marking an important milestone for the legendary racing team. This victory, however, quickly became overshadowed by a disastrous end to the weekend for both Hamilton and his teammate Charles Leclerc, who were disqualified from the main race the following day due to technical infringements.
In a thrilling 19-lap sprint race, the 40-year-old Hamilton, who had switched from Mercedes to Ferrari during the off-season, showcased exceptional skill by achieving a stunning pole position on Friday. After a brilliant lap, he retained his lead from the start of the race, skillfully holding off a challenge from Red Bull's Max Verstappen and crossing the finish line more than seven seconds ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
“I woke up feeling great today,” Hamilton expressed following his win. “We have this amazing crowd... the race was difficult; a lot of people underestimated the steep climb it is to come to a new team. The amount of critics, yapping on the way, maybe because they’ve not had the experience. Great to come here and feel more comfortable in the car, we’ve been really on it.” This win, which garnered him eight points in the championship, represented both Hamilton's first sprint victory and Ferrari's first in the sprint format since its introduction in 2021.
However, the excitement of the sprint win was soon eclipsed by unfortunate circumstances in the Grand Prix on Sunday, March 23. Hamilton qualified fifth for the race, while his teammate Leclerc qualified sixth. Unfortunately, both drivers finished in the points but were subsequently disqualified, leading to a significant loss for the team. Hamilton's disqualification was due to his car’s skid blocks being worn below the required 9mm thickness under FIA regulations, while Leclerc was ousted due to his car being found underweight.
Ferrari’s duplicity of disqualification marks a historic low, as it was the first time in 75 years that the team had faced such a penalty. “Balance-wise, from the sprint race we made these changes and the car was terrible after that,” Hamilton lamented after the events. Despite the early promise of the weekend, this disqualification cost Ferrari a total of 18 points, intensifying the scrutiny faced by the team in the highly competitive world of Formula One.
The fallout from the disqualification was swift and severe, with Italian media unleashing a wave of harsh criticisms against both Hamilton and Ferrari. Gazzetta dello Sport reported, “Red alert already: Ferrari, no more mistakes allowed,” highlighting the dire need for the team to improve and regain its competitive edge. The same outlet dismissed Hamilton's sprint victory as “another illusion to add to the enormous betrayed expectations of the winter.”
In another brutal summary, Corriere dello Sport labeled Ferrari’s overall performance as 'a disaster', while they noted the disqualification's impact on the team’s standing in the Constructors' Championship, already trailing 61 points behind leaders McLaren. Corriere della Sera, meanwhile, called the race “an embarrassment” and a “performance to be ashamed of,” underscoring the uphill battle Ferrari now faces to reclaim its former glory at the top of the sport.
Despite these challenges, Hamilton remains optimistic about the potential for progress within the team. He stated, “The window is quite narrow, but there is some performance there, like what we had in the sprint. We're always trying to move forwards.” Following a weekend filled with highs and lows, Hamilton emphasized the importance of learning from the setbacks. “We can see where we are performance-wise; we clearly have to improve our pace as the guys ahead are pretty quick. There’s work to do to close the gap.”
As the Formula One circus now turns to the Japanese Grand Prix, set for April 6, 2025, Hamilton and Ferrari have a brief window to regroup. With fans and media alike keeping a watchful eye, the pressure is on for the team to bounce back and demonstrate their capability against their rivals. Hamilton's sprint win serves as a reminder of their potential, but the harsh reality of their challenges looms large as they aim to navigate the competitive waters of the 2025 season.
