Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have already completed their first races as teammates at Ferrari, and the Bahrain Grand Prix, the fourth round of the 2025 calendar, has confirmed that the relationship between the two will be one of the big focuses of the season. The Scuderia came out of the desert with 22 points, but also with mixed feelings. While Leclerc remains the team’s best-placed driver in the championship, Hamilton is beginning to show signs of adaptation… although he is still behind.
Ferrari progresses without podiums
In Bahrain, Ferrari once again demonstrated that it has taken a step forward compared to the first three races thanks to the improvements implemented in this race. However, the podium continues to elude them. Charles Leclerc finished fourth after losing third place to Lando Norris in the final laps, while Lewis Hamilton completed a great comeback from ninth to fifth place in what was his best race since joining the Maranello team.
Both drivers were affected by their initial strategy, starting on new medium tires, unlike many of their direct rivals, who opted for used soft tires. The conservative gamble limited their pace in the early laps, although a tactical reshuffle after the Safety Car on lap 32 allowed them to regain positions.
With the results from Bahrain, Leclerc now has 32 points and is fifth in the overall World Championship standings. Hamilton, meanwhile, climbed to seventh place with 25 points. The gap between the two is small but enough for comparisons to begin to shape the narrative within the team.
Hamilton’s challenge
Hamilton’s debut with Ferrari has been far from comfortable. The Briton continues to struggle on Saturdays, and in Bahrain he was once again well behind Leclerc in qualifying: a six-tenths of a second gap that evoked the difficulties he experienced against George Russell during his last stint at Mercedes.
After qualifying, the seven-time world champion was blunt: “It was one of my worst days.” However, on Sunday, after his great performance in the race, Hamilton was more positive: “I learned a lot today. I felt comfortable with the car on the medium stint and I know better what to look for now.”
Although his statements reflect optimism, they also make it clear that adapting to the SF-25 is still a work in progress. “The car is quite difficult to drive. I’m working hard to adapt my style, I have a lot of work to do,” he confessed. His difference with Leclerc, who is more conservative in his setup changes, seems to mark a technical contrast that still needs to be resolved within the red garage.
Ferrari and hope with Leclerc
While Hamilton focuses on adapting, Charles Leclerc maintains his role as the team’s benchmark. His pace over one lap remains superior, and his race management, despite the limitations of the car, has been consistent. However, the Monegasque also suffers from a lack of real performance against the leading teams.
“I smile to hide the pain. We don’t have the pace to fight for the podium. We hide our shortcomings in qualifying, but in the race they become apparent,” Leclerc lamented after crossing the finish line in fourth place. Even so, he highlighted the strategy as the right one and was excited about the performance of the latest upgrades brought by Ferrari.
With four races completed, Ferrari remains a contender, but the leaders are not pulling away. Leclerc leads the internal battle for now, but Hamilton is getting closer. If the SF-25 continues to evolve and both drivers reach their best form, the Italian team could become a serious contender for the podium at every race. In the meantime, the Hamilton vs. Leclerc duel will continue to capture all the attention in the paddock.