Ferrari boss identifies the biggest weakness of SF-25: “It’s not slow or fast corners, but tyre management”. Fred Vasseur admits Ferrari didn’t expect such a slow start.

A less-than-ideal start
Frederic Vasseur didn’t hold back when commenting on Ferrari’s lone podium in the first six Grands Prix, during an interview with Sky Italia at Imola: “Honestly, we didn’t expect this start to the season, we need to be honest with ourselves. We expected better. We had ended last year with McLaren being slightly faster than us, a couple of tenths, and we were able to fight them in some situations. We expected to start stronger, but this is how it went. That’s sport. We haven’t done the best job so far, and we have a long way to go to close the gap to McLaren.”

What is the SF-25 missing?
Ivan Capelli asked Frederic Vasseur what the SF-25’s weakness was—between mechanical grip and aerodynamics. The French manager analyzed Ferrari’s current technical situation: “Honestly, I think it’s clear that McLaren, when the temperature is warmer, does a much better job with the tyres. This is clear to us and to everyone. But it’s rather difficult to understand. I think it’s more a tyre issue and getting into the right window. It’s not that we’re lacking something in fast or slow corners. It depends on the tracks, mainly the asphalt. I think it’s more a matter of extracting the best from the package we have and from the car’s characteristics.”

Frederic Vasseur also spoke about upgrades: “You have to be mindful of the budget cap. You can’t do what was done 10 or 15 years ago. At some point this season, we’ll have to fully focus on 2026, but that’s true for everyone. We’ll have to decide the right moment.” He also mentioned the upcoming directive on flexible wings, which will come into effect from Barcelona: “It will be a big change, but that doesn’t mean McLaren won’t still be ahead.” – the Ferrari team principal concluded ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend.