Scuderia Ferrari experienced their worst performance of the 2025 Formula 1 season under normal conditions at the Miami Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finishing in seventh and eighth positions, respectively.
The only occasion when Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton had a worse result earlier in the season was during the opening round. However, Ferrari had several mitigating circumstances to explain their disappointing finishes in the Australian Grand Prix, where Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton ended up in eighth and tenth place due to the challenging mixed weather conditions.
At the Miami Grand Prix, Ferrari could only point the finger at themselves for their struggles. Despite the threat of thunderstorms in Florida, the SF-25 proved to be significantly off the pace compared to McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull, and even Williams in the hot, dry conditions of the race.
The Monegasque driver finished the Miami GP a considerable 57.036 seconds behind McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who claimed his fourth win of the 2025 season. The Briton crossed the line 3.15 seconds later, managing to fend off Carlos Sainz from Williams on the final lap of the race.
In addition to their poor race result, it was only thanks to Lewis Hamilton’s bold strategy that Ferrari secured a podium finish in the Miami Sprint. He was one of the first drivers to switch to dry tyres, a move that ultimately paid off. The team’s performance in qualifying was another disappointment, with Charles Leclerc being the top Ferrari driver in P8 and Hamilton failing to progress beyond P12.
Following their struggles at the Miami GP, Ferrari is now focused on making a significant and unexpected change to the rear suspension layout of the SF-25. According to sources from the Italian website AutoRacer, the team is puzzled by the underperformance of their current suspension design. Ferrari’s management is unsure whether the issue lies with the suspension anchors or its travel capabilities.
The team had already made substantial changes to the suspension setup on their 2025 F1 car by moving the aerodynamic balance forward with a new gearbox and a smaller rear unit. However, Ferrari’s simulator data did not reveal any major drawbacks, leading them to overlook the issues that have now become apparent on track.
The simulator had suggested that the benefits of the design would be clear only by altering the suspension. However, the SF-25’s unpredictable handling, especially in qualifying, has become a major problem for both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. The car’s handling is now considered one of the most perplexing in recent Ferrari history, which has led to serious concerns within the team.
Ferrari has not yet set a timeline for when they will implement the upgraded suspension for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. The team is determined to avoid rushing this change, recognizing the delicate nature of the adjustments required. They also have to balance resources between improving the 2025 car and developing their 2026 F1 car, making the task even more challenging.
Loic Serra, Ferrari’s technical director, is overseeing both projects. His team is focused on fixing the issues with the SF-25, while another part of the engineering squad is already working on Ferrari’s Project 678 – the code name for their car designed to meet the 2026 F1 engine and chassis regulations.
Serra is keen to ensure that Project 678 does not fail due to any shortcomings in the engineering team’s work. Ferrari’s 2026 engine, in particular, is expected to be on par with Mercedes’ new power unit, which is widely anticipated to be the benchmark under the new regulations.
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