Ferrari comes into Losail following two disastrous weekends. The double retirement in Brazil provoked the anger of President John Elkann, who publicly criticized the drivers. Meanwhile, the SF-25 showed its limitations in Las Vegas, particularly in wet conditions. When it rains, the red car struggles, and Charles Leclerc is determined to address this long-standing issue that has affected Maranello well before his arrival. The next car will require a major overhaul of the suspension concepts and tire interaction, led by Loic Serra. The Qatari heat may help Ferrari warm the tires quickly, but it could also lead to significant tire degradation due to the circuit’s fast sweeping corners. Previous experiences provide some guidance.
FP1 in Qatar once again crucial, tire wear a key factor
As in 2024, Losail hosts the final Sprint weekend of the season. The layout invites maximum effort, reducing opportunities for position changes to just a few key points. The lap begins with a long main straight leading to the first braking zone to the right, where overtaking is possible. Drivers then carry very high speeds through the fast sequences of corners 2 and 3, left and right, before approaching two additional right-hand bends leading into the hairpin at turn 6, the second overtaking opportunity. The central sector features more high-speed corners leading to the final section, which includes three rapid right-hand bends before the start-finish straight at turn 16, where DRS can be activated.
In 2023, the race was nearly unmanageable due to extreme heat. The desert climate means that wind and sandstorms, more than rain, are likely to be the main challenges. For 2025, the FIA has required teams to perform two pit stops to prevent excessive Pirelli tire wear. Last year, Ferrari was still in contention for the Constructors’ Championship; this year, even securing second place will be extremely difficult. During FP1, Ferrari must aim to hit the track with a setup already optimized in the simulator. However, the team traditionally uses the Sprint as a kind of practice session, gathering data and fine-tuning the car once parc fermé restrictions are lifted ahead of the official qualifying.
After the disappointment of Brazil and Vegas, the Tifosi are desperate for a clean, competitive weekend. Everything starts – and could effectively end – in that single hour of practice under the Losail floodlights on Friday evening.
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