Ferrari: conservative engine modes, heavy fuel load, and tyre management challenges

In Formula 1, when observing Ferrari, part of what we had predicted in their approach to this weekend has materialized. The Italian side sought an acceptable compromise between the Red Bull Ring’s contrasting characteristics: the first sector being stop-and-go, and the second featuring fast, flowing corners. If we look at the gaps in the three sectors, they are quite similar. This means that, for now, the compromise they aimed for has been achieved.

Ferrari was not chasing lap times, but rather studying new floor. Naturally, all the limitations came to light. Overall, instability could be seen in corners like 6 and 7, while in the braking zones of turns 3 and 4, approaching the apex, the rear end tended to lighten up. Generally speaking, the SF-25 showed a setup that was overly ambitious on this track. This first Friday was particularly important given the new floor that was introduced.

The new specification features revised fences at its leading edge, an updated bargeboard, and several changes to the diffuser volume. This evolution was fitted to both of the team’s cars. At this stage, we can’t give a definitive verdict, especially since the team needs time to understand how to get the most out of the update and to fine-tune the setup accordingly.

Speaking of tyres, no major issues emerged in activation, although there were some problems with overheating. It is possible that Ferrari did not quite hit the correct operating window, a necessary step forward to do better tomorrow. This could help recover some ground in cornering, as minimum speeds at the apex are currently not on par with direct competitors.

Additionally, it seems that the fuel load used by Ferrari was higher than that of their rivals. The same goes for the engine mapping, which was less aggressive compared to McLaren and Red Bull. Fred Vasseur himself confirmed this in his analysis. We now await today’s sessions, keeping in mind that the Maranello team could already make progress in the third free practice session at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg.

From what we saw on the first day of track action in Austria, the fight for pole position seems to be between the McLaren drivers. However, one must consider the usual step forward Red Bull tends to make between Friday and Saturday. Moreover, Max Verstappen’s first practice session was, overall, more positive than usual, although there were still several issues that need serious work. Max Verstappen complained a lot about understeer.

There was a notable lack of rotation at mid-corner, a clear issue in both sessions. Increasing front downforce did not work. The RB21 single-seater has a problem with the front axle because, in the section from turn 6 to turn 10, Max Verstappen did not have a good feeling with the front end. In this kind of corner, the front axle is heavily loaded on entry. The Milton Keynes team also brought a floor update. The solution worked and will be retained for tomorrow.

McLaren arrived in Austria as the favourite and has so far easily dominated its rivals. As we can see in the telemetry data, the real gap to Red Bull is about two-tenths. On circuits where a strong compromise is required, the MCL39 adapts very easily. It generates a lot of downforce and in high-speed corners is able to maintain excellent minimum speeds.

Unlike Ferrari, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri had no corrections on the steering wheel, a sign that they immediately found the perfect balance during this first day of running. Even in the more technical sections, the two MCL39 cars did not show any kind of deficit. The advantage in all sectors is very solid, although in Sector 1, Red Bull manages to get quite close to the papaya-coloured cars.