Scuderia Ferrari HP wrapped up a dynamic opening day at the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix, completing both Free Practice sessions with encouraging progress and valuable data collection. Despite multiple red flag interruptions and changing track conditions, the team ran a full program across all three Pirelli compounds, preparing for a crucial qualifying session on Saturday.
Charles Leclerc (#16) and Lewis Hamilton (#44) tackled the challenging Zandvoort circuit with a combined total of 105 laps—Leclerc completing 55 and Hamilton 50. The team focused on tire performance, car balance, and long-run consistency, with both drivers showing improved pace in FP2.
In Free Practice 1, held under sunny skies with track temperatures at 27°C, Leclerc placed P14 with a best time of 1:11.951, while Hamilton followed in P15 at 1:11.960. Both drivers ran Medium and Soft compounds, navigating heavy traffic and off-track excursions, including a brief spin for Hamilton at Turn 3 and a red flag caused by Kimi Antonelli.
Free Practice 2 saw cooler conditions and brief rain threats, but the session remained mostly dry. Hamilton climbed to P6 with a time of 1:10.738, while Leclerc secured P8 at 1:10.834. The session was disrupted by incidents involving Lance Stroll, Isack Hadjar, and Alex Albon, but both Ferrari drivers managed to complete their runs, with Hamilton switching back to Hard tires for a long stint and Leclerc continuing on Softs.
Lewis Hamilton (#44): “It feels good to be back on track. We made solid progress between sessions after missing the ideal window in FP1.
There’s still work to do on single-lap balance, but our long-run pace looked more consistent. Qualifying will be key here, so we’ll build on today’s learnings overnight.”
Charles Leclerc (#16): “It was a tough Friday. FP2 was better, but we’re still far from where we want to be. McLaren and Aston Martin looked strong, and we’re losing time in two key corners.
We’ll work hard to turn things around tomorrow.”
With overtaking notoriously difficult at Zandvoort, Saturday’s final practice at 11:30 CEST and qualifying at 15:00 CEST will be pivotal in setting the tone for Sunday’s race. The team remains focused on optimizing performance and unlocking the full potential of the SF-25.