Ferrari changes approach in Jeddah: no more extreme setup

Ferrari has clear ideas for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the 6.174-kilometre Jeddah Corniche Circuit this weekend, namely to make a clear step forward. In Formula 1, what is needed is a lot of substance and few words, and lately, the communication from the Prancing Horse has certainly not been flawless in this regard. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton will once again have to give their all, bearing in mind that the new floor, after data analysis from Sakhir, could provide those still untapped benefits, but the differences between the Ferrari drivers need to be smoothed out

After the Bahrain GP comes Jeddah, a completely different track. We are talking about high-speed corners where good balance and floor-generated downforce are essential. There are also many straights, so efficiency is fundamental. The Saudi Arabian round will be the second weekend in which the SF-25 cars will be fitted with the floor revised in several areas by the engineers led by Ferrari Head of Aerodynamics Diego Tondi.

The Maranello aerodynamicists have confirmed that the expected downforce points were achieved. The Ferrari drivers are confident, especially Charles Leclerc, who once again made his goal with the Italian side clear yesterday. A slightly different story for Lewis Hamilton, who is still trying to adapt to the SF-25. In his case, he must let go of the driving style developed at Mercedes and fully commit to the Italian car.

The Italian single-seater continues to show a certain lack of rotation on track, a trait that significantly affects the Ferrari drivers’ handling. It is a chronic feature that the drivers have been trying to fix since the early races. Charles Leclerc has succeeded impressively, while Lewis Hamilton, as mentioned, has yet to shake off the past and embrace a different, more effective approach to driving the Ferrari.

Jeddah should be more suited to the characteristics of the SF-25, while Bahrain was one of the toughest races among the early rounds of the championship. Now we move to a track that is somewhat easier in several respects. The Maranello team needs more front-end grip, otherwise, in high-speed corners, they will lose a lot of minimum apex speed — a crucial parameter for this kind of turn. The rear-end instability seen in onboards through the Snake section won’t help either.

Ferrari had expected more from the new floor. But on a different circuit, as Charles Leclerc mentioned, we should see this major component perform more effectively. Also with regard to ride heights, this track could suit the SF-25: smoother track surface, typically stiffer suspension setups, and greater ease in lowering the car by those few missing millimeters.

As for the rear setup, Ferrari arrives in Saudi Arabia with a slight modification to the rear wing. The specification remains the same, so it is not a real upgrade. The only difference lies in the drag reduction system flap, which features a slightly altered chord in an attempt to reduce drag with the system closed. A specific move tailored to this kind of circuit.

The Maranello team might find this track less complicated when it comes to thermal tyre management. Compared to Sakhir, where activation issues were evident, preventing proper management of the car’s operating window in both qualifying and the race, this should not be a problem in Jeddah. The energy load and distribution across the compounds are completely different.

We know the historic Italian team is working hard on this area. Indeed, just like in the 2024 Formula 1 season, the ability to manage the tyres is crucial — often more so than any upgrade. Ground effect cars are very sensitive to this parameter, and if McLaren consistently extracts strong performance, it is largely due to their ability to handle the tyres.

For this reason, the race drivers have worked on warm-up strategy in the simulator, which is extremely important at this track, especially considering the long straights that tend to “cool down” the front axle. Ferrari believes it can manage this situation well in Jeddah. In just a few hours, already in the first free practice sessions, we will understand the effectiveness of the measures implemented at the factory on this important front.