Charles Leclerc’s new approach and driving technique for reducing Ferrari SF-25 understeer. Lewis Hamilton Follows Charles Leclerc's Brake Strategy to Combat Understeer.

A Ferrari in Formula 1 that is unfortunately causing difficulties for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc: this is the impression we got from the first three races of 2025 Formula 1 championship. What was expected, so far, has not been seen. We are referring to the competitiveness of the SF-25 single-seater, as part of this expected performance has remained on paper. Disappointment and frustration mix with the desire to change pace, to show that the 676 project is not what has been seen so far in the first three rounds of the season.

The Ferrari engineers and technicians are ready with updates for the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, which have been tested by Ferrari reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi in the simulator after team principal Frederic Vasseur had pulled the handbrake on introducing the updated floor last weekend at the 5.807-kilometre Suzuka Circuit. The Frenchman’s statements had scared Ferrari fans quite a bit: Frederic Vasseur seemed determined to delay the first aerodynamic update package in order to better understand the SF-25 car before deciding on new solutions. A phrase that left several unsettling scenarios open. Was there a risk that the updates would not be valid anymore? Or that they would not work with the current technical base?

It is hard to be certain, but in Bahrain, unless there are last-minute denials, the SF-25 will still present some important updates. First and foremost, a revised floor in several areas, a key element for generating aerodynamic downforce correctly. So far, the car has shown too much instability during certain phases of driving. This intervention should fix things.

The new aerodynamic package has been tested by Antonio Giovinazzi in the simulator, who returned to Maranello after the Japanese Grand Prix to work on it. An important contribution, directly requested by Frederic Vasseur, in order to validate the virtual updates intended for the Sakhir weekend. Now, however, it needs the judgment of the track, the only one that truly matters. During the first two free practice sessions, there could be a direct comparison between the updated floor version and the base version, useful for cross-referencing the collected data and understanding things better.

Charles Leclerc’s insight into driving style
While waiting to resolve the technical issues, Charles Leclerc has worked on a specific driving technique to manage the lack of rotation. The results were visible in Japan, where the Monegasque driver was more incisive than his Maranello teammate. Charles Leclerc has mostly tamed understeer through a refined method, developed together with his performance engineer, useful for correcting the behavior of the SF-25.

In the latest weekend at the Suzuka circuit, both Ferrari drivers made interesting statements. Lewis Hamilton was more talkative, admitting several issues that worry the team, such as ride heights. Even today, the Italian team still has doubts about how to effectively utilize the ground clearance starting from the next races. The British driver then spoke about the setup chosen in Japan, which was different from Charles Leclerc’s.

It is correct for drivers to explore different solutions: their intuition will be crucial to rediscover the ideal balance of the SF-25 and close the gap of those two tenths of pure performance still missing. However, the path Lewis Hamilton took did not pay off. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion suffered from understeer a lot more than his teammate, a lack of rotation that often turned into oversteer during exit phases.

Lewis Hamilton himself admitted that Charles Leclerc had opted for a different approach, which was later confirmed in practice. Along with his track engineers and vehicle specialists, the Monegasque driver was able to better manage understeer. This also led to more stable tire temperature management: a clear indication of the technical direction to take in the upcoming Grands Prix.

In essence, based on various studies conducted on telemetry and by adjusting the setup, Charles Leclerc understood how to unlock some of the unexpressed potential of the SF-25. The feeling is very positive, but obviously, time is short. That is why a lot of simulator work will be required, especially in the coming weeks, particularly after the introduction of updates that will change the car’s behavior.

According to information gathered and reported by various Italian news media outlets during this week, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion is working extensively on the braking phase. A crucial area, involving the use of the brake and the pressure profile to apply when entering the corner. Modern Formula 1 cars are extremely sensitive in this phase, and the driver’s feeling is decisive. Lando Norris is also working on this with McLaren, but with different objectives, given the different nature of the MCL39 single-seater.

From a technical standpoint, we can explain what happens, thanks to the help of an F1 reserve driver. Considering the SF-25’s lack of rotation at the center of the corner, Charles Leclerc slightly extends the braking phase. By doing so, when the wheels start to unload, the braking force becomes slightly greater than the theoretical optimal value. This small surplus helps the car rotate, reducing understeer.

In practice, the Monegasque driver delays the so-called “dead” brake point just a little, which is the moment when the pressure on the pedal reaches 0%. To clarify, let’s imagine the opposite case: if the driver were to anticipate the complete release of the brake, the car would slide faster toward the apex of the corner, but it would automatically become more understeering. A similar technique, but in reverse, can be applied in the case of an oversteering car.

This is done by anticipating the release, which can neutralize the onset of excessive rotation. The braking system of an F1 car, however, is extremely sophisticated and offers various parameters to work with. At Ferrari, they are working precisely on this front: a lot of simulator and track work to optimize brake balance throughout the entire corner entry, from early-entry to late-entry.

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