On the sixth race, Ferrari reached the bottom level of the beginning of the 2025 Components 1 championship with a efficiency removed from the highest. For instance, in qualifying, the SF-25 single-seater was solely two-tenths higher than the problematic SF-23. Higher tires, particularly softer, improved aerodynamics after two years of wind tunnel work, good effectivity by way of prime velocity and drag discount system, no indicators of porpoising. But the automobile has hardly come to life aside from the race which was held on the 6.174-kilometre Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia. A sequence of performances that had been by no means consistent with expectations, whereas the tire operation stays unknown. The Maranello crew had a tough weekend on the Miami Worldwide Autodrome in Florida, the place solely the dash, because of climate that shuffled the playing cards, rewarded Lewis Hamilton as soon as once more after a determined transfer. Charles Leclerc didn’t even begin because of the incident with the intermediates, a questionable transfer by way of assessing the situations.
McLaren was untouchable, even Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen needed to destroy his first stint simply to withstand in useless. The Miami warmth made the MCL39 single-seater extra unbeatable than ever. The specter of a summer time dominance looms, which may demotivate the competitors. Every part is within the fingers of the drivers’ means to keep away from errors.
Ferrari’s potential is unusable, the simulator says it exists however the observe doesn’t, that’s why Frederic Vasseur is speaking about it. It’s not purely an aerodynamic situation, the automobile merely runs with inefficient mechanical settings for the race, which is compromising the efficiency within the qualifying session. For some cause, the Maranello crew’s engineers and technicians cannot make the rear suspension work because it ought to. It might be a problem with the anchorage or journey. Based on what has been reported by F1 professional Giuliano Duchessa for autoracer, a brand new suspension is within the works that might be paired with the newest massive aerodynamic bundle, however the timing is unknown.
It’s a very delicate and completely sudden change in the midst of the season, not fast, however not less than it clearly reveals the place the issue lies and that it isn’t strictly aerodynamic. The hope is that the fixes will work as they did a yr in the past after the technical director’s place was abruptly vacant with Enrico Cardile’s departure, who will take a place at Aston Martin subsequent July. At that second, Frederic Vasseur took the interim position however was definitely caught off guard as they entered a fragile part. This might be a delayed backlash, maybe the reason for some assessments deemed inadequate relating to the daring adjustments to challenge 677.
Nonetheless, Ferrari can not afford a protracted season that dangers seeing it, at sure factors, even because the fifth drive. At present, there are already two groups at Maranello, one totally devoted to the continuing 678 challenge, particularly the automobile for the 2026 Components 1 season. A part the place dozens of various designs, some excessive, are usually examined to determine the place the best beneficial properties could be made. Technical Director Loic Serra was in Jeddah the place issues labored much less badly, not less than for Charles Leclerc, however wasn’t in Miami. On his shoulders, the duty of a triple and heavy dedication: pondering of a great automobile for subsequent yr, curing the SF-25’s issues, and (considerably) enhancing the standard of technical decisions on observe.
Everyone seems to be asking the identical query, and it’s a reputable one: couldn’t the Ferrari SF-24 have been additional refined as a substitute of adjusting it “99%”? Altering the aerodynamic steadiness to focus extra on the entrance finish required a completely completely different general geometry. Modifying the gearbox casing and decreasing the rear suspension’s dimension didn’t repay. The entice was across the nook however couldn’t be predicted within the simulations, which solely confirmed beneficial properties with no drawbacks. For higher or worse, Venturi automobiles will stay among the many most unpredictable and unreadable in Components 1 historical past.
After the turbulent American weekend in each sense, it’s value highlighting the feedback of the seven-time Components 1 world champion reported by the BBC, which can now appear clearer. Lewis Hamilton mentioned that he thought the SF-25 automobile had actual efficiency and that one thing was holding them again at that second. The British driver believed the efficiency was there, however they simply couldn’t use it. He added that till they discovered an answer, that was the scenario they had been in.
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