During the recent Austrian Grand Prix weekend held at the 4.318-kilometre Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Scuderia Ferrari introduced what has been described as the final and most significant component of its 2025 wind tunnel development programme. This came in the form of a completely redesigned floor assembly for the SF-25, Ferrari’s current Formula 1 car for the 2025 season. This comprehensive aerodynamic upgrade marked a crucial phase in the Maranello team’s ongoing pursuit of extracting the maximum possible performance from its single-seater racing machine. Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc managed to secure a podium finish at the event, taking third place after a competitive race, and he acknowledged that the latest update had brought a clear and measurable improvement to the car’s behaviour and performance on the racetrack.
In addition to this revised floor package, Ferrari’s technical department is also preparing to introduce a completely new rear suspension system. This mechanical upgrade is expected to make its debut either during the upcoming British Grand Prix at the Silverstone Circuit or possibly at the subsequent round on the Formula 1 calendar, which will take place at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. Engineers and team personnel at Scuderia Ferrari are hopeful that the combination of the new aerodynamic platform and this much-anticipated suspension development will finally enable the SF-25 to realise its full performance potential, which has thus far remained only partially exploited during the 2025 Formula One World Championship.
Meanwhile, as part of its long-term strategic planning, Scuderia Ferrari has now officially transitioned the focus of its wind tunnel work entirely toward the development of the 2026 Formula 1 car. This future-focused project is being guided by the major regulation overhaul expected to take effect in that season, which will bring with it significant technical changes across all areas of car design.
The revised floor assembly that Ferrari introduced in Austria represented a full-scale redesign, extending from the floor’s leading edge all the way to the rear diffuser section. The update included fundamental changes to the floor fences, the outer floor perimeters, and the central flat section that lies between the two ground-effect tunnels running along the length of the chassis. In essence, it was a thorough reengineering of the car’s underbody, aimed at redefining how airflow is managed beneath the vehicle’s structure.
This central portion of the floor—frequently referred to within technical circles as the “boat” or “canoe” section due to its elongated, curved shape when observed from a top-down perspective—stretches from the forward edge of the floor assembly all the way to the start of the rear diffuser, an area often dubbed the “boat tail.” This structural component is critical, as it helps determine the lateral contours and dimensions of the ground-effect tunnels, which allows the team’s aerodynamicists to fine-tune the width and internal geometry of those tunnels over their entire length.
This configuration plays a pivotal role as one of the most powerful tools available to aerodynamic engineers. Its function is to fully energise and accelerate the airflow passing through the ground-effect tunnels. When combined with the performance of the rear diffuser, this airflow becomes responsible for generating the bulk of the underfloor aerodynamic downforce that is so vital in this current generation of Formula 1 machines governed by ground-effect principles.
As the development of this new breed of ground-effect cars has progressed over recent seasons, the “boat” section has evolved significantly. Whereas it was previously shaped with smoother and more rounded contours, it is now more commonly designed with abrupt transitions and sharper geometric features. These jagged surfaces help induce vortices, which in turn accelerate the airflow through specific regions where it might otherwise slow down or become turbulent—thus improving aerodynamic stability and efficiency.
However, modifications to the “boat” section are rarely made in isolation. In the case of Scuderia Ferrari, the reshaping of this central floor section was a direct consequence of changes made further upstream on the car’s floor. Specifically, the design team implemented alterations to the geometry and profile of the floor fences located at the entrance point of the underfloor ground-effect tunnels. These fences are among the first aerodynamic elements to make contact with the incoming airflow, and any adjustments at this location tend to have a ripple effect throughout the rest of the car’s underbody.
The camber and surface profile of these fences were significantly altered, with the outermost elements now exhibiting greater twist and curvature in their shape. In parallel, there were also accompanying modifications to the external floor bodywork in that same region. These external fences serve a critical function by dividing the incoming airflow into two distinct paths: one stream is channelled directly into the ground-effect tunnels, while the other is directed toward the outer edges of the floor.
Maximising the combined aerodynamic energy of these two airflow streams—particularly at the point where they reconverge behind the diffuser—is absolutely essential for optimising the performance and efficiency of the car’s underfloor aero package.
Working in tandem with this realigned airflow, the floor edge wing component was also modified. It was both shortened and reshaped. While this wing does provide a small amount of direct aerodynamic downforce along the floor edge, its greater purpose lies in influencing vortex generation and ensuring aerodynamic balance between the inner and outer airflow streams. Because the tunnels and the diffuser were themselves reshaped, the aerodynamic centre and optimal location of this floor edge wing needed to be recalibrated accordingly.
Furthermore, adjustments were made to the “boat tail” of the diffuser. This area largely determines the expansion rate and overall size of the volume through which the airflow exits the underbody. The diffuser is instrumental in returning low-pressure airflow from beneath the floor back to atmospheric pressure. Given that current Formula 1 technical regulations mandate a relatively gentle diffuser expansion angle, teams work tirelessly to extract additional performance by maximising the intensity of vortices generated at this rearward location. This is particularly important for producing effective aerodynamic downforce at lower speeds, when the rear ride height of the car is at its maximum due to reduced aerodynamic compression.
As a result of these numerous changes to the underbody and rear diffuser, the design team at Ferrari also introduced secondary modifications to the outer floor bodywork positioned just ahead of the rear tyres. These supplementary changes were intended to optimise how the airflow interacts with the rear of the car and the trailing edge of the floor.
With the heavily upgraded floor fitted to the SF-25, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc succeeded in qualifying on the front row of the grid for the Austrian Grand Prix. He went on to convert that strong starting position into a third-place finish at the chequered flag. However, despite the encouraging podium result, he ultimately crossed the line approximately 20 seconds behind the race winner, British driver Lando Norris, who delivered a commanding victory for the McLaren Formula 1 Team.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who is contesting his first season as a Ferrari driver in 2025 after his high-profile move from Mercedes-AMG Petronas, also had a strong showing in Spielberg. The British driver qualified in fourth position and maintained that same place through to the finish line, earning his best result of the 2025 Formula 1 season in a Grand Prix so far.
Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton reported that the revised aerodynamic package had undeniably improved the performance and drivability of the SF-25. However, they also indicated that further progress could still be made, especially if the upcoming rear suspension upgrade delivers the expected additional gains in mechanical grip, tyre management, and overall car balance.
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