Ferrari hid its true pace in F1 testing: more fuel in qualifying lap, focusing on long runs

The simulator has taken center stage after Ferrari carefully reviewed the telemetry data gathered during the three days of testing at the 5.412-kilometre Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir last week.

The SF-25 single-seater displayed strengths and weaknesses in the only collective session before its debut at the Australian Grand Prix on March 16. The Prancing Horse showed highs and lows that slightly cooled the enormous enthusiasm of fans in the last few weeks sparked even more by Lewis Hamilton’s arrival in Maranello.

And the crowd reception the Ferrari F1 team will enjoy in Milan on Thursday, March 6, will be concrete proof of that, as Piazza Castello will host a brief exhibition of the two drivers with historic Ferrari single-seaters before they depart for the 5.278-kilometre Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne. Ferrari, with the “Drivers’ Presentation by UniCredit,” perfectly embodies the concept of showmanship applied to Formula 1, but the spectacle must be matched by results on track.

At the Ferrari Racing Department, nothing is being left to chance: the engineers, led by Loic Serra, are working on the right setup adjustments to find the ideal balance for the car. The SF-25, in fact, has exhibited unpredictable behavior that has slightly shaken Charles Leclerc’s confidence, while the his new Maranello teammate Lewis Hamilton continues to express unwavering faith in the car and the team.

Therefore, distinctions must be made to avoid confusion: the car struggles with front-end setup. Understanding the pull-rod front suspension takes time—this layout, aligned with McLaren and Red Bull’s choices, but not Mercedes’, offers undeniable aerodynamic advantages while requiring the right mechanical adjustments. This should not be a major issue, as technical director Loic Serra is a top specialist in this field and has already brought his valuable experience to the team.

Ferrari arrived in Bahrain for pre-season testing with a medium-downforce rear wing, opting for a less draggy configuration than McLaren, as we also detailed in a previous article. This was evident in the top speeds recorded on the fastest lap, with the SF-25 clocking in 4 kilometers per hour faster than the papaya-colored car. The drivers of the team led by Andrea Stella had orders not to complete a full lap in the qualifying simulation, after showing enormous potential in the first two sectors of Sakhir, they deliberately hid their true pace by returning to the pits. The same could be said for Ferrari.

To begin with, the 066/15 power unit was never used with an aggressive mapping to maximize performance. Carlos Sainz, the fastest over the three days, benefited from a Mercedes engine in the Williams FW47 that could be pushed harder than the others. More importantly, Ferrari never ran with minimal fuel on board, preferring not to give rivals any reference points. However, it is clear that extensive work has been done on single-lap pace in order to address the weaknesses seen last year with the SF-24 car in terms of qualifying performance. There are no concerns about clipping at the end of certain straights either: electronics engineers are working on hybrid energy management to optimize electric power delivery throughout the lap.

With reduced rear downforce, the SF-25 exhibited a handling shift that caused the typically oversteering car, which suits Charles Leclerc’s driving style, to suddenly become understeering. This issue is under scrutiny and must be resolved in time for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. The low temperatures in Sakhir did not help with development, but the hope is to find a solution. In terms of race pace, Ferrari appeared to be the third-strongest team behind McLaren and a resurgent Mercedes, which starts stints faster but suffers greater tire degradation.

The battle remains wide open. The feeling is that Ferrari, which was very close to McLaren in the final Grand Prix of the 2024 Formula 1 championship in Abu Dhabi, may have lost some ground to the MCL39 and has been caught by Mercedes and Red Bull, shifting its position slightly in the competitive hierarchy. But it is too early to draw clear conclusions, better to wait for the track’s verdict in Australia.