Former Haas Formula One team principal Guenther Steiner has revealed his views on Ferrari’s performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc finished in P8 and P9. Steiner believes the team needs to “wake up” if it wants to finish the Constructors’ Championship in P2.
Ferrari has been facing struggles on several fronts this season, especially with its SF-25 F1 car, which has often limited its drivers from pushing forward. While Hamilton is unhappy with the car’s rear section, Leclerc faced scenarios where problems with his car compromised his track position.
One example was the Hungarian Grand Prix, where the Monegasque driver led the race for a long time, but a reported chassis problem deprived him of his first win this season, dropping his pace to the point where he finished fourth. During the Azerbaijan GP, he faced a power unit issue for around 10 laps.
The Baku race weekend was one to forget for Ferrari, as Hamilton got knocked out of Q2 in qualifying. Leclerc made it to Q3 but crashed his Ferrari into the barriers, contributing to the session’s six red flags. They both started the race in P12 and P10, respectively. Through team orders, Hamilton passed Leclerc during the race, but he was soon affected by dirty air. At the end, he was ordered to give the place back, but he was unable to do that before crossing the finish line.
Ferrari’s Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc (R) and Ferrari’s British driver Lewis Hamilton (C) compete during the Formula One Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku City Circuit in Baku on September 21, 2025.
Ferrari’s Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc (R) and Ferrari’s British driver Lewis Hamilton (C) compete during the Formula One Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku City Circuit in Baku on September 21, 2025.
Alexander NEMENOV / AFP/Getty Images
Ferrari is placed third in the Constructors’ Championship behind Mercedes with a gap of just four points. Red Bull trails Ferrari in fourth by just 14 points. Considering the gaps between the three teams, Steiner asked Ferrari to step up its game if it wanted to take back P2 from its competitor. Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, he said:
“I think we have to give the loser [award] this time to Ferrari, because eighth and ninth, beaten by Racing Bulls, beaten by Williams.
“The mess, not to let Charles past at the end, Lewis falling asleep to let him by because he was focused on something else.
“They need to wake up, because if they want to finish second in a championship, like this it’s not going to happen. So at the moment, they’re not second anymore.”
Despite Max Verstappen winning the last two races, Steiner believes Red Bull might not be so strong in the upcoming races. He added:
“Any of the three, they are so close together, it’s too early to call it. If Mercedes has a good race and they win a race, and Kimi can score some points, they can be in front.
“But I think Red Bull will have the most struggles, we’ll get to Red Bull afterwards, but I don’t think Max will win a lot more races this year.”