Ferrari has introduced a revised floor on the SF-25 in Austria, while awaiting the debut of a new rear suspension set for Spa. This suspension upgrade was initially expected for Silverstone but has now been postponed by one race. The development marks only a first step, with another, more definitive floor expected before the summer break—a positive sign for the Scuderia.
Charles Leclerc himself has admitted he doesn’t expect major performance gains from the current updates, even if they are steps in the right direction. What many are not openly saying is that the true new floor should only appear at the Hungarian Grand Prix, the final race before the FIA-mandated summer shutdown.
This forthcoming solution, when paired with the new rear suspension, is intended to unlock more of the SF-25’s potential. While Ferrari is no longer fighting for the championship, the goal is to join the group of top teams capable of contending for race wins—just like McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes have already done this season.
Diego Tondi’s aerodynamic team has focused on three key areas of the floor to address the car’s lack of downforce. The hope is that the rear suspension will complement these changes, allowing greater flexibility in setting the car’s ride height.
The visible modifications reflect the latest wind tunnel research. At the entrance of the Venturi channels, a redesigned flow diverter—now more rounded—has been introduced to enhance the quality of downstream vortices. The upper cover has also been reworked to encourage the expansion of the channel and the overall tunnel.
With increased airflow comes the need to modify the diffuser expansion as well. This change may appear subtle but could prove to be the most critical of the update package. There’s also been a tweak to the floor edge—the longitudinal wing once nicknamed the “sabre.” It now features a slightly shorter chord and greater curvature.
It will be intriguing to see what kind of performance impact these upgrades will have on the SF-25.
