Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur has revealed an interesting behind-the-scenes detail about the Belgian Grand Prix weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.
Earlier in the season, Scuderia Ferrari suffered a double disqualification at the Chinese Grand Prix due to excessive plank wear and irregularities with the minimum weight of the car. Looking back on that setback in an interview with The Race, Frédéric Vasseur reflected on how that incident shaped the team’s approach and also discussed the impact of Ferrari’s latest upgrades on the performance of the SF-25.
A mistake not to be repeated
According to Vasseur, the disqualification in Shanghai may have compromised Ferrari’s chase of McLaren in the constructors’ championship. The current generation of Formula 1 cars is extremely sensitive to ride height, and even the smallest variations can make a significant difference. “I don’t want to talk about the others. I think McLaren are champions – they are incredibly strong in tyre management. And in wet conditions, for example, they are magical. But focusing on ourselves, we lost some ground early on with the double disqualification,” Fred Vasseur admitted.
To avoid any risk of another disqualification, Ferrari was forced to take extra precautions. “We had to give ourselves a margin. The sensitivity of these cars to ride height is enormous. Every millimetre is a position on the grid. So if you have to make sure you are safe because you are not fully in control, then it has a huge impact on performance.”
As part of those precautions, Ferrari raised the ride height of the SF-25 slightly and repeatedly instructed the drivers to use lift-and-coast techniques during races. By easing off the throttle earlier before braking zones, the drivers help to reduce stress on the floor and protect the plank from excessive wear.
Changing course mid-season
The double disqualification also acted as a wake-up call for Ferrari, prompting the team to design and introduce a new suspension system, which was brought to the track for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. “It would have been easier, or even better, to anticipate it, because I think we made a step forward. I would have liked to take that step earlier, because when you make a modification, it is never the most effective in terms of weight or aerodynamics. There is always a negative side,” Fred Vasseur explained.
However, new upgrades always carry a degree of risk until they are tested under real track conditions. The Ferrari team principal did not hide his apprehension ahead of the debut of the new suspension in Belgium. “We developed the car with a different suspension. So you take a direction, and if you change the suspension you can make some adjustments, but you cannot redo the entire development.”
Fred Vasseur went on to admit: “I was a little scared when I arrived at Spa, because they said: ‘Ok, during the Sprint weekend you have to test five different solutions, so it will be difficult to make adjustments.’ But in the end, it went quite well.”
His comments reflect the constant balancing act that teams face when introducing upgrades mid-season. Every improvement brings potential gains but also carries risks in terms of setup compromises, aerodynamic balance, and reliability. For Ferrari, the decision to accelerate the introduction of the new suspension was a bold move, but according to Vasseur, the outcome at Spa suggested it was the right call.
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