Ferrari exposes all its weaknesses at the Brazilian GP
And here we go again. The Brazilian Grand Prix, round number twenty-one of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship, once again turned into a difficult showcase for Ferrari. In São Paulo, the Maranello-based squad displayed all the well-known weaknesses of its SF-25 single-seater: an inadequate top speed caused by the necessity of increasing aerodynamic load, a chronic lack of rotation that severely limits overall performance, and problematic ride heights that prevent the car from generating the optimal level of vertical downforce. The Interlagos circuit, with its combination of fast straights and complex, twisty corners, once more exposed all the structural limits of a car concept that, on Brazilian soil, drastically reduces the operating window of the vehicle and its ability to extract consistent pace.
Ferrari faces the reality of a car that cannot overcome certain problems
Heading into this Grand Prix weekend, there were no certainties or strong expectations for Ferrari. This uncertainty did not stem from any lack of preparation or effort from the Italian engineers, but rather from a series of recurring technical issues that, inevitably, the team had to confront in this twenty-first round of the ongoing championship. The situation was quite clear from the outset: despite a few positive signs observed in previous races, the SF-25 was always likely to face significant challenges at a circuit like Interlagos, a track that demands strong traction, mechanical grip, and high aerodynamic efficiency — three areas where Ferrari continues to struggle.
This scenario, as expected, led to several complications that were extremely difficult to manage throughout the weekend. The reality is simple and rather harsh: the Interlagos circuit in Brazil is not particularly suited to Ferrari’s characteristics. It cannot be described as a disastrous or impossible venue for the Italian team, but it certainly is not an ally either. The specific combination of medium-speed and slow corners, combined with changes in elevation and a long main straight, magnifies the weak points of the SF-25’s aerodynamic balance and mechanical setup.
In the build-up to the race weekend, team principal Frédéric Vasseur repeatedly emphasized the importance of flawless execution, particularly considering the inherent challenges of the Sprint weekend format. This condensed schedule, with only one practice session before qualifying, allows very limited time to fine-tune the setup and extract maximum performance from the car. In this type of format, any minor issue quickly becomes critical, and for a team like Ferrari that still struggles to find the right compromise between top speed and cornering grip, this represents a major handicap.
The French team boss had certainly hoped for more encouraging results after the first day of running. However, both Frédéric Vasseur and the rest of the Ferrari personnel soon found themselves dealing with a car that showed no intention of hiding its flaws. At this point, a reasonable question arises: could Ferrari have adjusted its setup better to achieve greater performance at Interlagos? The answer lies somewhere in the middle — a cautious “yes and no.” Some improvements were technically possible, but the room for meaningful progress was quite limited due to the underlying constraints of the car’s design.
Top speed missing, chronic understeer limits the SF-25
During the only free practice session of the Brazilian weekend, the group of engineers led by performance director Loïc Serra worked exclusively with the Hard compound tyres. This deliberate choice was made to obtain consistent performance over longer stints and to focus entirely on optimizing the car’s balance and tuning. Essentially, both drivers and the technical staff aimed to push the SF-25 through various setup combinations, studying its behavior in detail and then correcting weaknesses through targeted adjustments designed to maximize the car’s efficiency.
Both Ferrari cars showed a relatively decent baseline balance. However, two major problems quickly became evident. First, the lack of top speed on the straights continued to be a critical issue, particularly when compared with rivals Red Bull, McLaren, and Mercedes. This shortfall, combined with instability in specific conditions such as heavy braking or transitions over uneven track surfaces, made the SF-25 difficult to handle. Neither Charles Leclerc nor Lewis Hamilton managed to complete a fully clean and competitive lap, as the car required constant corrections and felt nervous at the limit.
Overall, the car displayed a noticeable degree of understeer, an issue that both Ferrari drivers have been battling for much of the 2025 season. One of the most challenging corners proved to be Turn 8, a tight right-hander where both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton struggled heavily to rotate the car effectively. It was not coincidental that Charles Leclerc lost control of his SF-25 precisely at this point during qualifying. That section of the track forces the drivers to turn in with a very high steering angle, which, in Ferrari’s case, exceeds the car’s natural ability to rotate effectively due to front-end limitations.
In preparation for qualifying, the Scuderia attempted to address this lack of rotation by adjusting the front wing angle and refining the balance — a strategy reminiscent of what Red Bull had previously done before introducing its most recent upgrades. Interestingly, the Austrian team also suffered from similar challenges at Interlagos, which further illustrates how the combination of bumpy surface and mixed corner types tests even the best aerodynamic packages. The SF-25, with its narrower operating window, was particularly affected by these conditions.
During the free practice session, Charles Leclerc opted for a medium-downforce configuration, while Lewis Hamilton ran a setup designed to generate slightly higher aerodynamic load. According to the telemetry data, both drivers lost a similar amount of time on the main straight, but the No. 44 car of Lewis Hamilton, equipped with more downforce, proved more stable under braking and allowed for cleaner corner entries. For this reason, during the Sprint qualifying session, the team decided to equip both Ferrari cars with the higher-downforce configuration in an attempt to stabilize the rear end and improve drivability through the tighter corners of the middle sector.
Ferrari lacking aerodynamic load due to persistent ride height issue
Finally, a few words about one of the most persistent and frustrating problems for the Maranello-based team: the infamous ride height limitation. This recurring issue continues to act as a heavy burden on Ferrari’s performance potential. Once again in Brazil, it severely restricted what the SF-25 could achieve. Because of the specific track conditions and bumps at Interlagos, the car’s operational window turned out to be even narrower than anticipated. In practical terms, Ferrari found itself once more in the same situation as in previous events — a setup compromise where lowering the car too much would lead to excessive plank wear, while raising it would sacrifice precious aerodynamic load.
To put it simply, the metaphor often used by engineers — “the operating window is too short” — perfectly applies here. Every attempt to optimize one area of the car comes at the expense of another. Even though, as mentioned, the general balance of the SF-25 was not inherently poor, the car could not exploit its full aerodynamic potential. The problem is structural and linked to the chassis and floor concept, making it very difficult to fix during the season without major redesigns.
Charles Leclerc himself discussed the situation both over the radio and in post-session interviews. He explained that he did not have “bad sensations” from behind the wheel; instead, the car simply felt slow and unresponsive. It was not a matter of poor balance or extreme instability — the SF-25 just lacked overall grip and speed. This statement may sound puzzling given Ferrari’s improved pace in recent races, but the explanation lies in the physical impossibility of lowering the car enough to fully take advantage of the ground effect produced by the Venturi tunnels. If the car were run any lower, the skid block (or plank) would wear out excessively, leading to a breach of FIA regulations.
This technical limitation means that Ferrari must constantly operate with a higher ride height than ideal, significantly reducing the efficiency of the floor and diffuser. In a modern Formula 1 car, where much of the aerodynamic performance comes from the ground effect and airflow management beneath the chassis, this represents a massive loss. As a result, Ferrari is forced to compensate by increasing the angle of attack on the wings, thereby increasing drag and losing top speed — a vicious cycle that continues to limit its potential on circuits like Interlagos.
In summary, the Brazilian Grand Prix once again demonstrated the fundamental weaknesses of the SF-25 project. Despite the drivers’ efforts and the engineers’ attempts to optimize the available tools, Ferrari’s car remains too sensitive to setup changes and too dependent on track characteristics. For now, Ferrari can only focus on maximizing every small opportunity, learning from weekends like this one, and preparing for tracks where the balance between power and downforce may play more in its favor.
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