Ferrari is heading into the highly anticipated British Grand Prix at Silverstone with a strong sense of determination and a clear objective to continue its progression. Despite the fact that the iconic Silverstone Circuit, located in Northamptonshire, does not appear particularly well-suited to the current characteristics and aerodynamic balance of the Ferrari SF-25 single-seater on paper, the Maranello team is aiming to take another significant step forward in terms of overall competitiveness within the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship.
Expectations remain cautiously optimistic, especially considering the high level of competition expected during this round, with rival teams such as Red Bull and McLaren looking particularly strong. Charles Leclerc made his intentions clear during the official pre-race press conference held at the circuit. Although he openly acknowledged that the SF-25 is still not fully at the same competitive level as the McLaren MCL39 driven by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, the 27-year-old driver expressed hope that circumstances could align in a way that gives him the opportunity to fight for a potential race victory this weekend.
The Italian side’s engineers and technicians will therefore be targeting the appropriate level of performance. The historic Silverstone Circuit is a fast and flowing track that demands very high aerodynamic efficiency from the car. It is essential for teams to maximize the performance parameter related to top speed on the circuit’s many long, high-speed sections. This requirement is critical not only for maintaining a strong race pace during Sunday’s Grand Prix, but also for achieving a competitive lap time in qualifying on Saturday. In modern Formula 1, lap time is highly sensitive to aerodynamic drag and downforce balance, particularly at a circuit like Silverstone.
At the same time, there is another fundamental criterion that teams must assess with great precision: optimizing the car’s ability to generate downforce in corners, which is vital for maintaining high mid-corner speed. In this context, we are referring to the performance parameter known as “cornering speed,” which is largely determined by how well the car utilizes vertical load during lateral acceleration. Achieving high cornering speed is essential, especially through Silverstone’s demanding sections like Maggotts, Becketts, and Chapel.
It is all about finding the optimal trade-off, namely extracting maximum aerodynamic grip and vertical load in the corners while maintaining sufficient top speed along the straights. The English track is one of the most complete and complex on the calendar, offering a mix of sweeping high-speed turns, technical medium-speed sections, and some slower, more traction-limited zones. This diversity makes it very challenging to achieve the correct aerodynamic balance, which in turn is absolutely essential to secure a competitive performance throughout the weekend.
Seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton will be racing “in his own backyard” this weekend, competing on home soil in front of a passionate British crowd that has supported him for his entire career. This home advantage may provide the Ferrari driver with a psychological boost, possibly giving him extra motivation and inspiration to match or even outperform his Maranello teammate.
On the other hand, Charles Leclerc has shown a notable ability to extract the maximum potential from the SF-25 chassis, even when the car presents certain limitations in terms of stability and grip. The Monegasque driver possesses an impressive driving style that allows him to adapt quickly to difficult machinery and to mask the car’s weaknesses through exceptional handling and vehicle control. This ability has been cultivated over several seasons at Ferrari, during which Charles Leclerc has frequently had to deal with cars that have fallen short of expectations in terms of pure performance.
A detailed analysis of Ferrari’s aerodynamic strategy reveals that the Italian team has opted for a medium-downforce setup on the SF-25, featuring a spoon-shaped rear wing element. This aerodynamic configuration is not the only component that defines the car’s overall setup, but it is a clear and informative indicator of the general direction that Ferrari is taking in terms of aerodynamic efficiency and balance.
This is the exact same rear wing specification that the team from Maranello used at the recent Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, suggesting that Ferrari is relying on a configuration it considers versatile and well-tested. It is worth noting that during the race weekend in Austria, the Ferrari engineers also brought an alternative rear wing with a medium-to-high downforce profile. That version was tested during Free Practice on Friday but ultimately rejected in favour of the more efficient medium-load configuration, which offered a better balance between downforce and drag for that particular track.
This version of the rear wing is one of the most adaptable and frequently deployed aerodynamic solutions by the Maranello-based team in the 2025 season. The challenge remains the same: to achieve the right amount of rear downforce—enough to generate adequate vertical load and traction, particularly out of slower corners—without compromising too much on top-end speed and overall aerodynamic efficiency.
Achieving this delicate equilibrium is especially complex for the Ferrari SF-25, as the car still suffers from a relative lack of downforce compared to the McLaren MCL39, which has proven to be one of the most well-balanced and aerodynamically refined cars on the grid. This shortfall is due to two main reasons. First, the inherent design of the aerodynamic surfaces and underfloor of the SF-25, although recent updates to the car—particularly the new floor introduced in previous rounds—have helped increase the total amount of downforce. Second, the Maranello team is struggling to run the car at its ideal ride height, which was defined during the initial design and development phase of the car but remains out of reach under actual track conditions.
This ride height parameter will play a pivotal role at Silverstone, as lowering the car closer to the reference plane significantly improves vertical aerodynamic load thanks to better use of the Venturi tunnels under the floor. While this aerodynamic principle is well understood and can indeed boost overall downforce levels, it also increases the risk of excessive plank wear due to the car bottoming out. Excessive wear on the skid block could potentially result in post-race disqualification—something that already happened earlier in the 2025 Formula 1 season during the Chinese Grand Prix.
The fragile aerodynamic equilibrium of the Ferrari SF-25 remains under scrutiny, as there are two final elements that must be taken into account when analyzing the aerodynamic setup of the Ferrari SF-25 at Silverstone. First, the team has multiple rear wing configurations available, each providing a different level of downforce, which allows the engineers to tailor the car’s aerodynamic behavior depending on the conditions observed during practice sessions. Second, the setup of the beam wing—located just below the main rear wing—plays a complementary role. Depending on the specific requirements of the circuit and the amount of vertical load needed, the beam wing will help finalize the total aerodynamic load. This process of micro-adjustment, referred to as “fine-tuning,” will be absolutely crucial after collecting real-time data during Friday’s Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2 sessions.
According to sources within the Ferrari team, the simulations carried out at the Maranello factory using both the wind tunnel and the dynamic vehicle simulator have provided promising results. Ferrari arrives at Silverstone with a fearless mindset and the ambition to take another decisive step forward in its development path. This goal could be within reach thanks to the wider setup range now available following the recent modifications to the car’s floor, which seem to have significantly increased the adjustability of the SF-25.
Today’s initial Free Practice sessions will offer the first concrete insights into the performance of this revised package and will determine whether Ferrari’s theoretical progress can be confirmed by actual on-track results at one of the most demanding circuits on the Formula 1 calendar.
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