The Scuderia might use a strategy previously seen at Monza to pursue victory in Las Vegas. Historically, Ferrari’s record at the American track in the previous two editions has been solid. In 2023, Charles Leclerc secured pole position but failed to convert it into a race win. The SF-23 was competitive, but Carlos Sainz suffered from a manhole cover in FP1, which damaged his floor and chassis. As a result, he had to start from the back despite being blameless. Charles Leclerc battled Max Verstappen for the lead and managed to snatch second place from Sergio Perez in a dramatic final-corner move after the long Strip straight. Last year, Ferrari was competitive again with both drivers, but Mercedes proved dominant in the race. Carlos Sainz finished on the podium while Charles Leclerc ended fourth. Now Ferrari will once again aim to go all-in, just like at Monza.
SF-25 returns with Monza-style low-drag wing, available in two versions
According to AutoRacer.it, Maranello engineers are targeting extremely high top speeds on the Strip, where cars reach up to 350 km/h. The SF-25 is expected to run the rear wing already developed for Monza, available in two specifications: one trimmed for higher speed and one standard. Execution will be critical, particularly managing tire and brake temperatures in the cold Las Vegas conditions.
The Maranello Tyre Engineer, Antonino Mazzola, explained: “In qualifying, on one hand the driver wants to push more on the out-lap to bring the tires into the correct temperature window. On the other hand, there is a risk of prematurely damaging the tire surface, already fragile due to the low temperatures, which can result in reduced grip on the flying lap. For this reason, teams cannot automatically rely on one or two warm-up laps. The key is finding the right compromise between warm-up and degradation to maximize grip. In the race, factors such as track temperature, low surface roughness, and the soft tire allocation Pirelli provides for this event (C3, C4, C5) all combine to create the perfect conditions for graining.”
With low temperatures and low grip, Ferrari must seek the ideal aero-mechanical compromise to unlock the car’s full potential. The smooth asphalt, similar to Mexico, may also help engineers lower the SF-25 and generate more floor downforce without risking excessive wear on the skid block. It promises to be an intriguing weekend.
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