Crashes and consequences: How Zandvoort's Turn 3 shook Ferrari's campaign

The 2025 Dutch Grand Prix was meant to be another chance for Ferrari to close the gap to McLaren and Red Bull, but instead it descended into one of the team’s most painful weekends of the season.

Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc failed to see the chequered flag, leaving Ferrari without points at Zandvoort and raising fresh questions about confidence and morale heading into their crucial home race at Monza.

Hamilton’s race ended on lap 22 when light rain created treacherous conditions at Turn 3. The seven-time world champion slid off the circuit and into the barriers, recording his first crash-induced retirement in Ferrari colours.

For a driver who arrived in Maranello with the weight of expectation on his shoulders, the sight of the scarlet car buried in the wall was a deflating blow. Hamilton walked off the track with his helmet on and head down.

He had spoken often this season about chasing an elusive eighth championship, a milestone many believed Ferrari could help him secure. Instead, he now faces a 15-race winless streak and the added burden of a grid penalty for Monza after failing to slow adequately under yellow flags before the crash.

If Hamilton’s exit was painful, Leclerc’s misfortune compounded Ferrari’s misery. The Monegasque had looked competitive in the second half of the race before a collision with Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli on lap 53 ended his afternoon.

Leclerc’s raw frustration was visible as he sat trackside, helmet off, reflecting on yet another lost opportunity. Antonelli received penalties for causing the incident and for speeding in the pit lane, but that was little consolation for Ferrari, who were left to rue what might have been.

The double retirement not only cost valuable points in the constructors’ standings — where McLaren now enjoy a commanding lead — but also damaged the psychological momentum Ferrari had been building. Team principal Fred Vasseur admitted in the post-race debrief that the SF-25 showed signs of improved pace compared to early practice, but performance gains mean little without results.

For Hamilton, the Dutch GP underlined the brutal contrast between expectation and reality. When he signed for Ferrari, the move was heralded as the start of a redemption arc: the legendary driver joining the legendary team in pursuit of history.

Instead, the partnership has been plagued by inconsistency, strategic missteps, and moments of misfortune. An eighth championship looks increasingly unlikely as Oscar Piastri extends his grip on the drivers’ standings, and Hamilton’s own errors — such as Zandvoort — add to the scrutiny.

For Leclerc, the frustration lies in seeing a potential podium slip away through no fault of his own. He remains committed to the Scuderia, but another season overshadowed by near-misses will test both his patience and belief in Ferrari’s long-term project.

Within the team, morale has clearly taken a hit. A double DNF is damaging enough, but when it comes amid a season where hopes were sky-high, the psychological toll is immense. Ferrari still sit second in the constructors’ standings, yet their deficit to McLaren is vast, and their margin over Mercedes and Red Bull is shrinking.

As the paddock turns to Monza, Ferrari’s focus must be on damage control and re-energising both drivers.

The Tifosi will expect nothing less than a strong recovery, and anything short of that risks deepening the sense of disappointment in what was supposed to be Hamilton’s historic year.