The two disqualifications in China have had a significant impact on Ferrari’s SF-25 in Formula 1, with Frédéric Vasseur acknowledging the role of ride height in the car’s performance.
The Ferrari SF-25 has shown several limitations this season in Formula 1, something even team principal Frédéric Vasseur has openly admitted. While the car’s design plays a crucial role in the team’s overall performance, the disqualifications at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai forced the engineers in Maranello to rethink the setup. Ride height is a fundamental factor in this generation of F1 cars, and after the events in China, the team had to adjust the safety margins to ensure compliance while preserving competitiveness.
It would be wrong to define Ferrari’s 2025 season as a failure. Turbulent, certainly, with persistent rumors about Fred Vasseur potentially leaving and even reports of Charles Leclerc’s growing frustration. Lewis Hamilton’s challenging adaptation to the team has added another layer of complexity for Maranello. Yet, despite these hurdles, Ferrari remains the second-strongest team in the championship. Among the top teams, the Scuderia stands out for the most consistent performance across both cars.
Technical issues, however, have not been absent. The latest, chronologically but not in terms of importance, was the Budapest mystery. Causes have been widely debated, ranging from “perfect storms” to engineering hypotheses of dramatic proportions. For a long time, fans and journalists demanded clarity from Ferrari’s team principal, and finally, Vasseur has provided it.
Fred Vasseur admits: ride height and aerodynamic stability problems
The French engineer spoke in an exclusive interview with Auto Motor und Sport. The first major admission concerns the two disqualifications in Shanghai, which had immediate consequences on car development: “We had to increase the safety margins on ride height,” explained Frédéric Vasseur. “And these cars are extremely sensitive: every millimeter can be worth a position on the grid.”
“In addressing this issue, we neglected other areas, such as tyre preparation for qualifying.” Fred Vasseur also highlighted the challenge related to the SF-25’s aerodynamic stability: “Over the last two years, we focused more on drivability and predictability than on pure downforce. If the driver does not know how the car will react in corner entry, in roll, or under braking, they cannot push to the limit. Our big step forward came at Monza in 2023, where we improved the consistency of the car’s aerodynamic behavior.”
