Ferrari still not on McLaren’s level: SF-25 problems confirmed despite signs of improvement in Japan. Ferrari continues to struggle in Japan as the SF-25 shows signs of improvement.

The third round of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship is taking place in Japan, at the Suzuka circuit, one of the most demanding venues for both drivers and cars. The nearly 6 km of track and its 18 corners provide a clear insight into car performance, which requires balance and efficiency to be quick. Efficiency is something Ferrari doesn’t seem to lack, but the SF-25 still isn’t on par with McLaren in Japan, even if it’s showing signs of progress.

The Japanese GP could have been one of the worst for the Prancing Horse’s car, despite the abundance of high-speed corners. Long-radius corners have actually helped Ferrari, which with its setup has shown great stability in Sector 1. A flat platform achieved through a rather stiff rear end.

The rear end has undergone stiffening — a countermeasure chosen by Ferrari to try to limit plank wear and avoid another humiliating disqualification. The SF-25 is currently dealing with a “short blanket,” preventing it from expressing its full potential.

Did Lewis Hamilton expose the SF-25’s problems?
Lewis Hamilton, who finished eighth in Japanese GP qualifying, spoke to the media about how the SF-25 felt over Suzuka’s 5.8 km. His car, set up differently from Charles Leclerc’s, suffered from understeer. The British champion also confirmed that he and the team chose to raise the car’s ride height — a measure resulting from the disqualification in China due to excessive plank wear, aimed at building in a margin of safety before parc fermé.

This action is typically accompanied by stiffer suspension settings, helpful for maintaining the minimum ride height margin. This explains several of Ferrari’s issues, from understeer to the loss of downforce at low speeds.

Everything seems to point back to the issue we had already speculated about in Australia. A situation where the SF-25 needs a new bump stop and more progressive suspension settings to avoid completely blocking the car’s potential. The first corrective measures installed on the SF-25 seem to have shown the direction, but not the solution — which is still in development. The car’s behaviour improved from Friday to Saturday, with a greater ability to ride the curbs without excessive jolts. However, driving through the hairpin in the middle of Sector 2 highlighted the understeer of the SF-25, caused by a rear end that pushes too much.