What is the real SF-25?
In just two race weekends, Ferrari has already accumulated a 61-point gap to McLaren in the Constructors’ standings. The SF-25 shone in China during the Sprint won by Lewis Hamilton, but in both Australia and the Shanghai GP, it was only the fourth-best team on track, trailing even Mercedes and Red Bull (in Melbourne, the final chaos relegated Leclerc and Hamilton to eighth and tenth place at the checkered flag).
Japan could be the opportunity to prove the strength of the SF-25 project, as the 2025 Ferrari appears to be very effective in fast corners, though there is still work to do on slow ones. Additionally, the team led by Frédéric Vasseur must redeem itself after the two disqualifications following the Chinese GP for technical irregularities (Charles Leclerc’s car was underweight, while Lewis Hamilton’s had excessive floor wear). Ferrari’s team principal downplayed what happened, but there’s no denying that a double disqualification for different reasons made the Prancing Horse enter F1 history—albeit through the wrong door. For this reason, the French manager has called for maximum focus from the team. Here are his words ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, which takes place this weekend at the 5.807-kilometre Suzuka Circuit.
Fred Vasseur’s comments
“The Suzuka circuit is particularly demanding for both the cars and the drivers, who love the challenge posed by its iconic corners. The whole team, now more than ever, must stay focused on the goal of putting Charles and Lewis in the best position to fully exploit the SF-25’s potential consistently, as so far we have only managed to do so on Fridays and during the China Sprint. In Formula 1, details are crucial: from preparing for the weekend at the factory to executing on track while adapting to changing conditions that may arise during the race. Once we have everything in place, we will have a clearer idea of where we stand.”
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