Ferrari in its Abu Dhabi GP configuration is struggling. In Formula 1, tire usage is crucial, and failing to access maximum grip severely limits performance. The basic setup was not wrong, but both qualifying preparation and thermal management in long runs require corrections to improve performance. Let’s examine what Ferrari has done and what it needs to do to take the next technical step in the right direction.
The SF-25 setup modified
The final Friday of the season ended with Ferrari facing more difficulties than expected, although the situation requires a more nuanced analysis. Yas Marina is a relatively uniform circuit, and in early practice, the SF-25 had a convincing initial setup. The team used the wing introduced in Brazil, already seen in Austria and Imola, fitted on both cars during FP2.
Regarding handling, a significant lack of rotation emerged, particularly problematic in corners 1 and 5 and throughout the final sector. To improve front-end behavior, adjustments were made mainly to the front wing angle to achieve a more effective balance. The setup prepared in Maranello did not show severe issues, though some limits were evident from the first session.
For the second session, suspension stiffness values were modified, and likely the aerodynamic balance as well. The result was a slightly more forward-biased balance, with more natural corner entry. However, fine-tuning was still needed at the rear, which tended to lose grip in the first two sectors.
Ferrari’s work on handling
Improvement was gradual, but in FP2 the car appeared overall more nervous, with Charles Leclerc forced to “fight more with the steering wheel.” Telemetry highlighted specific areas requiring attention if the goal is to stay at least behind Verstappen and Norris. In corner 1, both Ferrari and Red Bull lose out on entry compared to the McLaren, which remains the benchmark for front-end stability.
Both teams lose around two tenths, difficult to recover on such a short section. In corner 5, the Maranello car worked to gain a good exit for the following straight, and the results were visible as the gap remained contained. On the straight, however, the RB21 remains the most efficient car in the group, thanks to a chassis that cuts through the air very well.
In the middle sector, the SF-25’s gap to the MCL39 remains almost unchanged, while the Red Bull recovers everything lost in T1. It is in this part of the track that the Italian car clearly shows a slightly short setup range. In the final third of the Yas Marina circuit, the SF-25’s limits are most evident, once again triggered by one of Ferrari’s fundamental problems.
Temperature, tire management, and today’s objectives
Tire management is far from optimal: in S3 even Ollie Bearman and the two Stakers perform better. The SF-25 reaches the last corners with a rear too hot and already outside the operational window. The issue was openly discussed over team radio, mentioning thermal asynchrony between front and rear axles, with the team debating which axle to prioritize during the preparation lap.
Achieving target temperature simultaneously on both axles proved impossible for Ferrari’s drivers. A headache that severely limits performance, as the car cannot access maximum tire grip, showing a clear delay in feedback. The team tried to favor the rear, but unfortunately, the expected benefits did not materialize.
Charles Leclerc reported a difference of approximately 10°C between front and rear. In light of this scenario, Ferrari’s focus must be on tire preparation before the flying lap. The issue appears to concern surface temperatures in particular: everyone struggles in the third sector, but if the rear is already too hot, leaving the optimal window becomes inevitable.
Saturday’s mission for Ferrari is clear: find a preparation procedure that narrows or eliminates that 10-degree gap. Until the SF-25 can heat both ends of the car evenly, big lap time – and any hope of a positive end to 2025 – will remain out of reach.
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