The first day of free practice at the Singapore Grand Prix did not go as planned for Ferrari. The Maranello team lacked the consistency and progression they usually aim for when building the optimal setup. In particular, during the second session, engineers and drivers struggled to put together a strong qualifying simulation. However, days like these require a deeper analysis, reading between the lines to understand the full picture.
Ferrari: how the SF-25 behaved on track
During FP1, the car showed a generally good balance, and both drivers reported no major issues. It was a solid foundation to continue fine-tuning the setup. Still, some familiar traits that have affected the SF-25 since the start of the season were visible once again. Understeer remained present, with the car struggling slightly to rotate through the apex of slower corners.
This behavior is not new and, while not particularly disruptive for the drivers, continues to define the SF-25’s handling. The car generates strong mechanical grip at the rear, allowing excellent traction on corner exits — a characteristic that remains one of Ferrari’s key strengths. This improved further when the team switched to the soft compound tyre for qualifying simulations, where the overall handling felt more precise and responsive.
Until that point, Ferrari had been running on the hard compound, which provides strong consistency over long runs but offers lower grip and a very different balance compared to the soft tyre. In FP2, the team began with the medium compound before moving to the soft later in the session. However, the car’s response with the soft tyres fell short of expectations due to several contributing factors.
The setup remains somewhat immature, and the balance between the two axles still needs refinement. On corner entry, the SF-25 lacks some of the precision seen in the McLaren, although the deficit could be reduced with setup adjustments. On acceleration, the Ferrari delivers good traction, but the rear instability observed during FP2 cost valuable lap time. The McLaren MCL39, by contrast, appeared far more stable when applying power out of corners.
McLaren’s car, as we know, is much more complete overall — strong under braking, sharp at corner entry, and yet excellent in traction. That paints a clear picture of the current situation for Ferrari, whose engineers must now work intensively to recover lost ground and avoid wasting what could still be a promising weekend. To make the most of the potential, the team will need to react swiftly and effectively.
Singapore GP, SF-25: struggling with tyre temperature management
The second key issue behind Ferrari’s lack of pace in FP2 once again relates to tyres — specifically, the inability to manage tyre temperatures effectively on a flying lap. During the soft-tyre run in the second free practice session, both Ferrari drivers lacked grip across the entire circuit, a clear sign that the tyres were not within their ideal operating window.
As we know, tyre performance is not just about activating the compound but also maintaining it within the correct temperature range for an entire lap — something that is even more challenging on a circuit like Marina Bay. The final gap to the top of the timesheets was around seven-tenths of a second, a sizeable margin that, based on what was seen on track, may not entirely reflect the team’s true potential. However, it is clear that the root cause of the poor performance lies once again in this area.
If the setup changes go in the right direction, Ferrari can still hope for a stronger result in qualifying. It is worth noting that qualifying will take place at the same time as FP2, unlike FP3, which means conditions will be comparable. With the field being very close, there is little margin for error. For now, McLaren and Red Bull seem to be one step ahead in their weekend progress, while Ferrari is left chasing to close the gap.
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