Ferrari have been boldly backed to win an F1 grand prix earlier than the top of 2025.
The arrival of Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes has not but led to the headline-grabbing outcomes that the Tifosi demand.
Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc have usually struggled with the SF-25 which lacks the competitiveness of the McLarens, and likewise lags behind Max Verstappen’s Purple Bull.
However there have been moments of optimism – Hamilton’s win within the China dash and most not too long ago his run in qualifying for the F1 British Grand Prix – which have led to a courageous prediction that Ferrari will win a race this season.
“Sure. They may win a race earlier than the top of the 12 months,” Jolyon Palmer mentioned on the F1 Nation podcast.
“Singapore, they need to have probability, if you take a look at the efficiency they’d in Monaco.
“Even at Monza. They’re all the time aggressive at Monza. That may the fairytale story for both driver.
“They’ve had probabilities this 12 months. In Monaco, Leclerc was on provisional pole then the McLarens did a second run which bought him. However on a like-for-like, on one set of tyres, he was forward.
“In Canada, Leclerc crashed on Friday and did no laps. He nonetheless was midway via his lap wanting like he’d problem for pole, or a minimum of the entrance row.
“At Silverstone they may put it on the entrance row. I believe they may have had pole. Hamilton misplaced a piece of time.
“I used to be in parc ferme able to interview them, pondering ‘that is going to be the Hamilton pole at Silverstone!’
“He was nailing it via 15 of the 18 corners however then you definitely noticed him go extensive.
“The potential is certainly there. I’d be amazed in the event that they don’t get a win this 12 months.”
Lewis Hamilton glory at F1 Hungarian Grand Prix?
Lewis Hamilton
The F1 Hungarian Grand Prix will quickly provide Hamilton a return to one in all his happiest looking grounds.
No driver has gained extra ceaselessly than Hamilton in Hungary. He has gained eight grands prix, most not too long ago in 2020.
But it surely may not be the circuit the place Hamilton returns to the highest step of the rostrum.
“I nonetheless wouldn’t have thought Hungary can be the perfect monitor,” Palmer mentioned.
“However we’re speaking about tiny quantities separating the perfect 4 groups.
“The idea was that slower pace shorter corners had been higher for Ferrari. However that’s the precise reverse of Silverstone the place I didn’t count on them to be fast however they may have had a entrance row lockout.
“The shape information may throw something up.”
Hamilton gained two grands prix final 12 months, his final moments of glory for Mercedes. They got here at Silverstone and the Belgian Grand Prix – which is the following race on the F1 2025 calendar subsequent weekend.
Leclerc gained three grands prix final 12 months – at house in Monaco, in Italy, and in america.
This 12 months up to now solely the McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, Purple Bull’s Verstappen and Mercedes’ George Russell have been winners.