Ferrari gave its best during the pre-season testing session at the 5.412-kilometre Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. However, the balance issues suffered seem to have somewhat dampened the immense enthusiasm that characterized the eve of the 2025 Formula 1 season, largely due to the arrival of Lewis Hamilton. The overall performance in F1 testing does not award any title or points, yet it seemed clear that the new car from the Prancing Horse did not fully satisfy the Maranello engineers and drivers. The garage door was lowered half an hour before the end of the last test day, not a good image to see.
However, despite this, it should not necessarily be interpreted negatively. The Maranello team had completed its work program, completing 382 complex laps over the three days of testing. This distance is more than enough to continue what has already begun in parallel at the factory during the tests. Studying the data gathered from the more than 2067 kilometers covered at the Sakhir circuit in this crucial phase of the car’s lifecycle: data correlation. There is an interesting point that must once again be brought up here considering the apparent technical discontinuity of the SF-25 single-seater.
The historic Maranello-based team, during the design phase of the SF-25, preferred to explore new technical solutions capable of providing better performance, rather than evolving the previous technical project whose virtues were known but also its limits. This is a diametrically opposite approach, for example, to Red Bull’s, which in the RB21 sought solutions to the performance downgrade seen in the second part of the 2024 Formula 1 season, without drastically changing, at least on a large scale, the aerodynamic philosophy that brought them success and titles during the ground effect car era.
While the Milton Keynes team seems to be dealing with the issues of last season, the technical discontinuity of Ferrari in Formula 1 forces the engineers to study the aero-mechanical behavior of the 677 project. This is work expected by the Maranello team led by Frederic Vasseur, and it should not turn into the stereotypical “we need to understand” reminiscent of Mattia Binotto’s time at the top of the Ferrari Racing Department. After all, exactly twelve months ago, no one would have bet that McLaren could win the Constructors’ title, so clear was Red Bull’s dominance during the opening round of the previous season in Bahrain.
Therefore, Ferrari has to focus on the possibility of overturning the performance hierarchies observed a few weeks ago at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. We know that in the 2025 Formula 1 season, time will be tight, as yet another regulatory revolution will force the teams to divide their personnel and Aero Test resources between developing the current car and designing the futuristic cars for the 2026 championship. To make a long story short, without too many words, there will not be much time available if they need to make up a significant gap against the competition. Unlike previous seasons, the championship will begin in Australia at the 5.278-kilometre Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, in less than a week from now in Melbourne.
In recent years, Formula 1 fans and paddock insiders could quickly understand who had been playing hide and seek during testing, as the opening race of the season was always held at the Sakhir circuit. Last year, the historic Italian team, despite not shining on the circuit near Manama, triumphed in the Australian Grand Prix, achieving an unexpected victory and even a one-two finish with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, despite Max Verstappen’s retirement due to an issue with his right rear brake. This is why the hypothetical performance hierarchies emerging from testing could be quickly overturned.
On the other hand, the Melbourne street circuit is quite atypical, one of the most peculiar tracks on the entire Formula 1 calendar. In the upcoming first race of the season, Pirelli will supply the dry-weather compounds C3, C4, and C5. It is important to note that Ferrari, as well as all other teams, will be testing the soft C5 tire for the first time. The tire compounds and the completely different weather conditions in Australia could shuffle the cards and mitigate the balance issues shown by the SF-25, both with the Monegasque Charles Leclerc and the seven-time world champion of Formula 1.
Not to mention the work done in the simulator, updated with the data gathered by Ferrari during the Bahrain tests. Starting the season with the right approach, on a track where the SF-24 shone, is an opportunity for the Maranello engineers, as, regardless of the progress made by the tires, they will be able to appreciate the performance difference compared to the car that won in Australia last year with the recovering Carlos Sainz. We know that Ferrari feels quite prepared and does not rule out the idea of fighting for the win to fuel their primary objective.
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