The FIA changes its stance on flexible wings, but the Ferrari SF-25 remains unfazed: Frédéric Vasseur is confident in the planned development path. Finally having clarity on a topic that remained in regulatory gray areas for too long can be a relief. Some doubts about the timing persist, but work in Maranello continues steadily and confidently.
It seemed like a case doomed to perpetual procrastination. At the end of the year, the International Federation had reiterated that little or nothing would change in the short term. Instead, the major technical change for 2025 has arrived: no more flexible front wings—or at least, reduced flexibility of the wings—starting mid-season at the Barcelona Grand Prix.
Such a drastic turnaround on a crucial aspect of car development puts months of work at risk. However, it appears that discussions had been ongoing for weeks between the FIA and the teams. Therefore, the technical directive did not catch engineers off guard, allowing them to study solutions to implement throughout the season.
For days, speculation has surrounded the potential winners and losers of the flexible wings issue. Some have argued that McLaren and Mercedes, already advanced in this technology, would not be significantly affected. On the other hand, Red Bull and Ferrari, which started investing in this area more recently, could face greater difficulties.
However, the opposite view is also valid: precisely because they are further behind in the development of flexible wings, the new technical directive could level the playing field, bringing everyone back to square one. Beyond expert opinions, only the track will provide a definitive answer.
Optimism is emerging from Maranello, confirmed by Frédéric Vasseur’s words. The Scuderia Ferrari team principal is convinced that the new technical directive will not be a problem for Ferrari. Finally gaining clarity on the issue is crucial for managing updates to the SF-25. It should not be forgotten that a significant portion of the team’s resources will soon need to shift towards 2026.
Ferrari SF-25 updates: when will the first package arrive?
One of the few concerns regarding the technical directive on flexible wings is its timing. It will take effect one week after the Monaco Grand Prix, where a complete front wing package is already planned. However, even in this case, Frédéric Vasseur sees the glass half full: if the regulation change had been a surprise during the first races, the impact would have been greater.
A front-end update was already scheduled in Maranello. The technical directive simply means that an additional update will arrive in Spain. There remains a warning about costs, as Christian Horner points out, which will certainly not be negligible.
The early races of the season will be crucial. With 2026 approaching, it is clear that attention will soon shift to the new car. Much will depend on the performance gaps between the top teams, which will dictate the development path for the SF-25. In any case, significant update packages should arrive from the very first Grands Prix.
Source: f1ingenerale
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