Starting today, Ferrari returns to the track with the SF-23 single-seater: the Scuderia has access to the Barcelona circuit for three days of Test Previous Cars programme, where Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will have the opportunity to continue their training ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
The FIA regulation introduced this year limits Test Previous Cars to four days with a maximum mileage of 1,000 kilometers per driver. During his debut in red, Lewis Hamilton covered only 89 kilometers, and Charles Leclerc managed 42 kilometers due to heavy rain falling on the Fiorano track during his turn.
At the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, the weather conditions are expected to be much more favorable, allowing the two drivers to familiarize themselves with the car in preparation for the debut of the SF-25, scheduled for February 19 at Fiorano, following a presentation set to be streamed without journalists present.
The SF-23, of course, must remain at the development stage it was in at the end of the 2023 Formula 1 championship. However, both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will be able to assess what we might call the “Loic Serra effect.” The drivers’ work will focus on analyzing two key aspects: tire wear, which was one of the Achilles’ heels of the car two years ago, and starts.
Technical director Loic Serra, who was warmly welcomed by the Maranello staff, brings extensive expertise in terms of tire dynamics. The Montmeló test could therefore prove very useful for developing tire management strategies that might also benefit the SF-25. Admittedly, the tires used during these sessions are not the ones intended for 2025 (which will be less sensitive to overheating), as specific tires are allocated for these tests.
Nonetheless, Ferrari will be able to evaluate, alongside the two drivers, how tire behavior changes based on strategies adopted during the warm-up lap, taking into account temperature and inflation pressures. They will then analyze how this impacts tire performance over a stint and its overall lifespan.
The other area of focus is the start: the Maranello team’s engineers and technicians believe there is still room for improvement, not just in clutch release but also in general acceleration from a standstill when the lights go out. Electronics experts are continuing to refine launch strategies: while the clutch must be manually controlled by the driver, optimizing power delivery to prevent grip loss relies on the precise synchronization of the internal combustion engine’s output with the hybrid system, which only activates above 100 kilometers per hour.
The Scuderia is thus preparing to fine-tune details that could make a significant difference in a season where the team aspires to compete for both world titles.
— see video above —
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