F1 car designer feels McLaren made bigger steps with their 2025 F1 single-seater than Ferrari. Gary Anderson thinks McLaren have taken ‘bigger steps’ with their 2025 F1 car than Ferrari.

The 2025 Formula 1 constructors’ championship is poised to be another thrilling showdown, potentially coming down to the final race once again, much like the previous season.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the venue for what turned out to be another dramatic title decider, with McLaren and Ferrari both vying for their first championships in over ten years. Lando Norris delivered one of the finest drives of his career to help McLaren secure the victory, despite fierce competition from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, who also joined him on the podium.

Leclerc’s performance in Abu Dhabi was nothing short of spectacular, and the tension heightened when Oscar Piastri spun out after a collision with Max Verstappen, almost derailing McLaren’s chances of securing their first constructors’ title since 1998.

In typical Formula 1 fashion, the moment the season finale celebrations ended and McLaren’s team made their way to Bahrain to toast their triumph, all eyes immediately turned to the upcoming 2025 season. This quick transition is a hallmark of the sport, with both McLaren and Ferrari’s personnel likely already deep into work on their 2025 cars. Similarly, preparations for the 2026 regulations are also in full swing.

Unless Red Bull or Mercedes make significant advances or another team manages to surprise the rest of the grid, Ferrari and McLaren are widely regarded as the favorites for the start of the 2025 season.

Gary Anderson, a former designer and journalist, has now had the chance to evaluate both McLaren and Ferrari’s 2025 car designs. Speaking on The Race F1 Podcast, the motorsport pundit shared his analysis, noting that McLaren appears to have taken more risks with their final car of this current generation, signaling their intention to push the envelope in their pursuit of the title.

Gary Anderson was asked which of the 2025 McLaren and Ferrari cars he found most appealing ahead of the other and responded by pointing out that McLaren had taken significant risks with their car, particularly in terms of the longitudinal suspension geometry. He explained that McLaren had attempted to use braking and acceleration to manage the car’s aero platform, which, in his view, was a bold approach.

However, he expressed concern that this method was difficult to simulate accurately and relied heavily on driver feedback. According to his experience, such an approach would be challenging to predict and could heavily depend on how the driver adapts to it.

Anderson suggested that if McLaren did not face any issues with their setup during the season, it would be clear that they had made greater progress than Ferrari. On the other hand, he noted that if McLaren encountered problems, Ferrari’s more conservative approach could be seen as a safer bet.

Despite this, he expected both teams to remain in close competition throughout the season. He also hoped that other teams, such as Red Bull, Mercedes, and potentially Alpine, would join the battle, leading to a more competitive season. Anderson further emphasized the significance of the 2026 rule change, which would likely lead to a greater divide between teams. As 2025 marked the fourth year under the current ground effect rules, he expressed his desire for an unpredictable season where the championship race remained uncertain until the final few races.

The Maranello team will be hoping that Lewis Hamilton proves to be the decisive factor in giving them an edge over McLaren in the 2025 season. At the close of the previous year, the gap between the two teams was a mere 14 points. Given that McLaren finished the season with a total of 666 points, it’s clear just how closely matched the two teams were.

McLaren has taken some bold design risks, and while this approach brings with it a degree of uncertainty, team principal Andrea Stella and his staff have played it safe in terms of their update packages over the last two years. This cautious strategy has helped ensure they don’t make drastic missteps, allowing them to remain competitive.

Ferrari, on the other hand, has made adjustments to their suspension package. However, according to Gary Anderson, their 2025 car leans toward a more conservative approach, which is to be expected considering how deep the sport is into the current set of technical regulations.

Aside from the updates to the cars themselves, another significant change for Ferrari is the arrival of Lewis Hamilton, who takes over from Carlos Sainz. Hamilton’s motivation to succeed at Ferrari is at an all-time high, and although his 2024 season wasn’t particularly remarkable, his pedigree and experience could very well make him an upgrade over the talented Spaniard.

This change could be the key differentiator for Ferrari, but it will likely take some time before fans see whether it truly makes a difference. Only after the Australian Grand Prix, or perhaps a few races into the season, will it become clear which team has gotten their 2025 car design just right.