Ferrari's tyre challenge: unlocking race pace without sacrificing qualifying performance

Ferrari is working on several fronts for the near future in Formula 1. One of these is the ability to optimise the car’s performance through tyre usage. We know very well how important and necessary this factor is, currently decisive. It is clear that various parameters contribute to the optimal use of the compounds and unfortunately, as often happens, a single unsuitable value is enough to throw everything off.

This is somewhat the problem Ferrari is facing, which inevitably affects race results. Starting further back is never generally advantageous. Moreover, as we have explained yesterday, and as Charles Leclerc himself confirmed, the Ferrari SF-25 car suffers more than other top teams from the harmful turbulence of the slipstream. This means that running behind a rival, in dirty air, further limits the performance of the Maranello team.

Technical director Loic Serra is pushing hard on this key element, trying, once and for all, to gain a clear advantage from the tyres. Failing to do so means losing a significant amount of performance especially in the qualifying sessions. In theory, starting from the first European Grands Prix, things should change, because aiming to return to the fight at the top cannot exclude such a crucial factor.

At this stage it is also worth pointing out the different approach to tyre activation between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. Looking at the telemetry chart from the final part of the qualifying lap at the 6.174-kilometre Jeddah Corniche Circuit, we notice that the two Ferrari drivers are more cautious compared to McLaren and Red Bull. The goal, in this case, is to stabilise tyre temperatures slightly below the ideal threshold. To achieve this, Charles Leclerc maintains a constant speed between 150 and 200 kilometers per hour, accelerating sharply before the final corner to build up speed and prepare for braking.

In agreement with his race engineer Riccardo Adami, Lewis Hamilton instead adopts a different strategy: he slows down well in advance before the final braking point, alternating brief accelerations and decelerations. Braking is one of the most common methods to generate energy in the tyre. The Briton often uses this technique, already seen at the Bahrain International Circuit, which allows him to inject energy into the compound more consistently.

However, this move does not stabilise the temperature as well as Charles Leclerc‘s approach. Moreover, in a context where this constant speed-up/slow-down pattern occurs, a lateral stress is generated on the surface of the tyre, which absorbs energy meant to be transferred to the bulk—the metal layer under the tread, which therefore does not receive the correct heat.

The way Ferrari manages the tyres highlights how narrow the SF-25’s operating window is. According to information gathered and reported by various Italian news media outlets, the group of Maranello engineers and technicians has identified a good development path for the car. Understanding of the car is increasing and with it the ability to manage its behaviour, race after race, over the course of the race weekend.

The car’s correct operating range is expanding, and especially with Charles Leclerc, progress has been made in managing the machine. Nevertheless, updates are needed to widen the operative scope and unlock further untapped performance. We therefore await the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the Imola circuit, where the substantial update package is expected with the clear goal of improving the generation of aerodynamic downforce.

A factor that, automatically, will allow the two Ferrari drivers to keep the compounds within the correct working window and, above all, for the entire duration of a flying lap. Although such a deficit in qualifying may turn into an advantage during the race, since last season Ferrari has been seeking a compromise between the two sessions. Until the Bahrain Grand Prix, there was a general phase of settling in to understand the issues encountered. Now it is time to solve them, starting from the Imola weekend.