Ferrari prepares for F1 Singapore GP with work on SF-25 weakness and strategy focus. Ferrari gears up for the Singapore GP.

Ferrari is preparing for the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix with its attention firmly set on a key factor that could determine the outcome of the weekend. After two disappointing Formula 1 rounds in Baku and Monza, the Italian team is eager to bounce back. The Asian street circuit has often suited Ferrari in the past, raising expectations for a strong performance from the SF-25.

Formula 1 returns to night racing, where track temperatures and asphalt conditions will be decisive for both qualifying and the race itself. Overtaking is notoriously difficult on this layout, making grid position more important than ever. For this reason, Ferrari needs solid answers from its car, particularly in qualifying performance.

Ferrari’s focus

Adam Nicholls, Ferrari’s Head of Strategy, explained how the team has prepared for the Singapore weekend. Beyond the qualifying sessions, predicting how the race will unfold is far from straightforward, with many unpredictable variables in play. Adding to the uncertainty is the weather forecast, which suggests a high probability of rain across the weekend.

“Qualifying is even more important here than at many other circuits, because overtaking in the race is so difficult. Preparation for qualifying and understanding the performance of the Soft C5 tyres will absolutely be the main focus of free practice, but as we have seen in past years, we expect most teams to carry out long runs with heavy fuel at the end of FP1 and FP2,” Adam Nicholls pointed out.

This season, Ferrari has often struggled to extract maximum performance from the softer compounds in single-lap conditions. The preparation lap and traffic—especially in Q1—will be critical factors. Timing the qualifying runs will also be vital, given how much the track evolves throughout the session. If rain washes the circuit on Friday, the level of grip and rubber build-up could reset completely.

Race strategy

Race management will be another decisive element, with pit stops potentially disrupted by external factors. For this Grand Prix, the FIA has introduced a new rule that could influence strategy choices. “Singapore is always a very demanding race for strategists, and this year the increase in pit lane speed limit adds another variable that could change the balance between one-stop and two-stop strategies. Our preparation begins weeks before we arrive at the track, building a race model and running thousands of simulations to get an idea of the strategies we might see,” Nicholls explained.

He continued: “We also identify the main sources of uncertainty, simulate them to understand how the race could change if certain aspects are slightly different, and make sure our plans are flexible enough to adapt if things take an unexpected turn. Obviously, the Safety Car is a very likely factor here, so we use simulations to study how the race would evolve, lap by lap, if a Safety Car is deployed. This way, we ensure we are not exposed to excessive risks.”