The second free practice session for the 2025 Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix provided several encouraging signs for Ferrari, with Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc finishing in second place, just 0.153 seconds behind Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen. This specific result reflects a Ferrari SF-25 that is showing significantly more competitiveness compared to the previous several race weekends, demonstrating its strength and potential across both the slower, more technical corners and the high-speed sections of the circuit. Nevertheless, there are still certain structural limitations present in the car regarding the management of aerodynamic load, as well as in maintaining consistent balance and performance across the different sectors of the track, which will require further attention from the Maranello engineers.
Good work from the Maranello team
Mexico City represents a highly important and fundamental testing ground for the Ferrari team, as they are tasked with validating the various setup choices they have made and optimizing the car’s overall response and handling under high-altitude conditions, where the naturally reduced air density has a direct impact on aerodynamic efficiency and overall downforce levels. Already during the first free practice session, FP1, it became apparent that the SF-25 has a car with a solid mechanical foundation, offering stability and predictability in the slower corners, though it still lacked a certain degree of precision and finesse when it came to rotation in the middle of corners.
The Ferrari SF-25 demonstrated solid traction and a very consistent response from the mechanical setup, but it continued to experience a slight imbalance between the front and rear of the car, with the rear not always reacting and following the front as precisely as necessary during rapid changes of direction. However, during the second free practice session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez there were clear signs that the situation had improved. From the very first laps, Charles Leclerc displayed a growing level of confidence in the car, allowing him to attack the curbs more decisively and confidently, benefiting from a mechanical setup that worked in a coherent and highly predictable manner.
The front of the car continued to prove very effective in the more technical sections of the circuit, occasionally being perhaps even overly precise in some instances, to the point that on a few corners at the at Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Charles Leclerc tended to slightly widen his racing line to correct an excess of rotation. While this characteristic demonstrates a car that is highly responsive, agile, and reactive to driver inputs, it also requires a certain degree of finesse and subtlety in steering inputs to avoid compromising stability and control during cornering.
Ferrari surprises in the fast corners
When comparing lap performance and driving style with that of Max Verstappen, clear differences emerge in the approach to driving and managing grip levels. In the first sector of the track, Charles Leclerc was very competitive, with the Ferrari SF-25 generating a very solid mechanical load and providing consistent stability under the most demanding braking conditions into turn 1. Through the first three corners of the circuit, the Monegasque driver was able to maintain a speed advantage of roughly 2 kilometers per hour on entry compared to Max Verstappen, demonstrating that the Ferrari car has made meaningful progress in this area.
This level of performance is primarily the result of a well-balanced front setup combined with an effective brake balance configuration. Charles Leclerc was able to negotiate turns 2 and 3 without the need to touch the brake pedal, in contrast to Max Verstappen, largely because the front end of the Ferrari SF-25 was extremely pointed and responsive. Sector two of the track confirmed the greatest improvements relative to the first free practice session, FP1: this section is characterized by a sequence of medium-speed to fast corners where Charles Leclerc was able to maintain the gap to Max Verstappen within only a few hundredths of a second.
The Italian car proved to be more communicative and responsive during turn-in, and although it remained slightly less efficient in terms of load transfer compared to the Red Bull RB21, the overall time loss was minimal. Telemetry data highlighted an interesting point between turns 8 and 9, where Charles Leclerc was able to execute a lift from the throttle that was significantly lower than that of Max Verstappen. This move allowed him to gain a substantial 12 kilometers per hour on the Dutch driver, showing a promising improvement in the car’s mid-corner balance and power delivery.
Sector three, however, remains the most delicate and challenging part of the track. The setup choices made by the Ferrari engineers appear to have slightly sacrificed stability in this part of the lap, with the SF-25 showing a minor but noticeable drop in grip management compared to FP1, where the car had been performing exceptionally well. In this sector, Charles Leclerc lost approximately 0.094 seconds due to a small mistake in turn 13, where a slight oversteer forced him to make a correction, resulting in a delayed point of acceleration and a small loss in overall time.
Technical areas that still require refinement on the SF-25
Overall telemetry data confirms that the Ferrari SF-25 is responding more coherently and consistently, capable of approaching the top-speed values and acceleration figures achieved by the Red Bull RB21. Nonetheless, small oscillations are still visible in the use of the throttle and in the stability during brake release phases, which suggests that the Ferrari car still requires precise and detailed work on brake migration, as well as on the optimal distribution of aerodynamic load across the chassis.
In summary, Ferrari leaves the second free practice session in Mexico City with very positive feedback and a renewed sense of confidence in the potential of the SF-25. The car appears well-balanced, capable of exploiting traction effectively in various situations, while simultaneously limiting the losses in the higher-speed sections of the track. Nevertheless, the directional stability of the car and the handling of the rear end in medium-radius corners remain areas that require further fine-tuning and refinement. Despite these aspects, the technical base of the Ferrari SF-25 is clearly solid and promising. The approach and performance displayed in FP2 suggest that this package has the potential to be highly competitive over a full race distance, providing a strong platform for further development and optimization.
By expanding the focus on sector-specific performance, mechanical balance, and aerodynamic management, it becomes evident that Charles Leclerc is able to extract a high level of performance from the SF-25, while the Maranello engineers continue their detailed work to maximize the car’s potential. The positive indicators in both the slower technical corners and the faster sweeping turns provide reassurance that Ferrari can remain competitive against Red Bull and Mercedes.
And you? What do you think about Ferrari’s prospects for the rest of the weekend in Mexico City? Let us know with a comment at the end of the article or on our social media channels: Facebook Group / Facebook Page / Instagram / X (former Twitter) and TikTok.
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