Ferrari’s setup focus to close 0.3s gap to McLaren: 2025 F1 Japan GP preview. Ferrari's Strategy to Recover 3 Tenths on McLaren: Japan GP Insights.

Here we are for the third round of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship: the two Ferrari SF-25 cars arrive at Suzuka with several critical issues to address. The Maranello team has worked on multiple fronts, trying to understand and correct the difficulties that have compromised their recent performances, especially the management of the rear aerodynamics. At the moment, the Ferrari suffers from minor issues on both axes, with a somewhat complex situation at the rear end.

The Ferrari team’s work has therefore focused on aeromechanical interaction. We said “minor” issues because the team is confident that all the problems discussed in our previous articles are completely solvable. Nothing really chronic or that requires a complete overhaul of entire areas of the car. The gap to recover is about 3 tenths to McLaren, less than what the track has shown so far. However, time is needed, and in Formula 1, there is never enough of it.

The main issue concerns the interaction between aerodynamics and mechanics, as the car’s working window isn’t large enough. This condition, in turn, limits the car’s behavior and inhibits its performance. It should be noted that the level of downforce is managed by the relationship between the floor and the airflow, in the various driving phases of the car, under all fuel conditions.

This balance is imperfect, which is why the performance has often seemed unpredictable and difficult to manage, as the vertical downforce is insufficient, and the car cannot access its maximum performance. The Ferrari’s rear end, with more squat, isn’t performing at its best, as the aerodynamic balance is insufficient compared to its rivals. The consequences are clear. We are well aware of the importance of tuning the car for the weekend’s performance in Formula 1, an area where the Maranello team has yet to make a difference, unlike Red Bull and McLaren. Even in Japan, understeer could be a fierce enemy, although the simulator update has approved a new setup compromise that should improve things.

The upcoming development plan for the Prancing Horse will be crucial. There is no room for error, as was the case last year with the aerodynamic update package introduced by the Ferrari technicians and engineers at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain. This time, Ferrari needs to get everything right in the attempt to reduce the gap to the front-runners. In the meantime, the Maranello team has worked hard in the simulator to narrow the gap to McLaren. The maneuver aims to limit the annoying rear-end load peak, while waiting to expand the car’s aerodynamic map with updates.

The lack of intrinsic rotation, which at the moment stands as a distinctive feature, must be managed as best as possible to allow Ferrari drivers to increase their confidence with the car. Another focal point of the weekend concerns aerodynamic efficiency, a crucial factor, on which the Maranello team will conduct some tests. According to information provided by the Italian media, the Ferrari engineers are still unclear on a key element.

In the first two outings of the 2025 Formula 1 season, the setup compromises used have made it difficult to interpret the drag level of the SF-25 single-seater. The top speeds of the Ferrari were very good, but it remains to be understood whether the main merit is attributable to the aerodynamic penetration of the car’s body or if, in fact, the setup played a significant role in generating excellent top speeds.

The rear wing specification for Suzuka, logically, should be the same as the one seen in Melbourne. This solution is designed to ensure a good balance between drag and downforce. Considering the three practice sessions available at the Japanese track, Ferrari will have plenty of time to resolve this issue, choosing the most effective solution before qualifying.

Another variable that needs to be considered is the basic mechanical setup of the car. The Japanese track requires generally stiffer configurations. A territory where McLaren moves quickly, as the MCL39 performs very well within this spectrum of adjustments. In contrast, the SF-25 single-seater is designed to perform at its best with softer settings and might struggle on a circuit that demands stiffer setups.

However, Ferrari might enjoy an advantage at the 5.807-kilometre Suzuka Circuit this weekend: the resurfacing of the asphalt from the end of the third sector to the snake (inclusive) in the first sector should allow the use of ride heights more suited to the car’s design, limiting the aforementioned instability issues caused by the uneven load distribution along the floor’s length. The Maranello team therefore does not fear endemic problems related to ride height.

The tests carried out in the factory through simulator studies, as reported by various Italian news media outlets, have revealed that the team does not have fundamental problems related to this dynamic. It is merely a matter of finding the correct configuration. The ideal compromise to ensure handling and unlock the unexpressed potential seen in the first two championship rounds. This is somewhat the goal for the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, where Ferrari aims to make a competitive step forward and challenge the best.

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