Ferrari might have faced a rocky start in the 2025 F1 season, but they’ve certainly been stealing the show in the pit lane. At both the Melbourne and Shanghai races, they’ve delivered the fastest tire changes, quickly becoming the top contenders in this department.
In the Australian Grand Prix that kicked off the season, Ferrari struggled to find their groove. Drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were both off pace, lacking the needed speed on both dry and wet tracks. Yet amidst these challenges, the Ferrari team showcased their precision in the pit lane. During the first race, they executed the two swiftest pit stops. Leclerc’s tire service was completed in a mere 2.32 seconds, and Hamilton was not far behind, with his tires changed only 0.06 seconds slower.
Their closest competitors—Mercedes, Racing Bulls, Haas, and Red Bull—weren’t too far behind. These teams managed their tire changes between 2.43 and 2.58 seconds, making it a tight competition.
When the F1 circus moved to Shanghai for Round 2, Ferrari stepped up their game. Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, secured pole position during the sprint qualifying and dominated the 19-lap sprint race on Saturday, clinching his first F1 sprint victory and his first with Ferrari. Unfortunately, Sunday turned out to be disappointing for Ferrari as both Hamilton and Leclerc were disqualified due to technical issues.
However, Ferrari’s pit crew shone once again in China. Despite Leclerc’s early contact with Hamilton that damaged his front wing, they managed a remarkable pit stop on lap 15. Skipping the front wing change, they swapped his tires in just 2.05 seconds, even though the damaged wing’s impact was noted as costing “30 downforce points.”
This efficiency marked an improvement over their performance in Australia, trimming almost 0.3 seconds from Leclerc’s previous pit stop time. The competition remained fierce, with Racing Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda achieving a pit stop just 0.03 seconds slower. Red Bull’s crew was in hot pursuit too, servicing Max Verstappen’s car in 2.15 seconds.
Even with Leclerc’s blistering speed and his crew’s standout pit stop in Shanghai, the day ended on a sour note with the post-race disqualification of both Ferrari cars.
In the world of F1, it’s Ferrari’s pit stops that are turning heads, displaying teamwork and precision that make for a thrilling spectacle.
