We must give full credit to the excellent work carried out by the Ferrari Formula 1 team during the Mexican Grand Prix weekend. In Mexico City, under the leadership of team principal Frédéric Vasseur, the Scuderia demonstrated clear signs of progress both in execution and overall car balance. The French manager had previously spoken about the importance of consistent execution as one of the key foundations for success, and during this race weekend, he finally delivered on that promise. The event served as a concrete and visible demonstration of what the Frenchman had meant by those words, as the Ferrari group he directs managed to optimize the performance of the SF-25 in every detail, showing strong control over both the technical and operational sides of the weekend.
Qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix turned out to be one of the most competitive and tightly contested sessions of the entire 2025 Formula 1 season. Several teams were evenly matched when it came to pure one-lap performance, making the session particularly intense. The short length of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit naturally contributes to compressing the gaps between drivers and teams, meaning even the smallest mistake could result in the loss of several positions. Additionally, the track’s surface evolves rapidly over the course of the sessions, making grip levels change lap after lap. This quick evolution was a key variable that teams had to take into account, as it required constant adaptation. It was therefore up to both the engineers and the drivers to correctly assess the changing grip levels of the asphalt and adjust their driving approach, tire warm-up procedures, and car settings accordingly to extract the maximum possible performance.
Ferrari showed an excellent overall balance, something that had already been noticed during the free practice sessions the previous day. However, despite that progress, the main weaknesses of the SF-25 were still visible in the entry phase of certain slower corners, where the front end occasionally lacked precision. Overall, the traction of the car was very strong and effective, but not quite as optimal as it had been on Friday. In those earlier sessions, Red Bull had gained a noticeable advantage in corner entry, managing to carry higher minimum speeds into the apex before losing some time in the second half of the turn. That dynamic, however, changed quite a bit on Saturday, as Ferrari’s engineers and technicians made adjustments that improved the car’s response significantly.
SF-25: plenty of work on corner entry
The Maranello-based team continued its typical fine-tuning approach throughout the weekend, building upon a very solid base setup developed at the factory. The effort made at Maranello deserves particular recognition, as through extensive simulator work and aerodynamic correlation studies, Ferrari’s engineers managed to achieve a balance that has rarely been seen this season on the Italian car. This delicate equilibrium between front-end responsiveness and rear stability is not easy to obtain, especially at high altitude tracks like Mexico City, where the thin air impacts both downforce and cooling efficiency.
One of the most visible and significant areas of improvement was at the first chicane. The SF-25 gained less traction compared to previous sessions, that much is true, but the gap to the rivals remained very consistent and stable across different laps. The true benefit, however, became evident in cornering performance itself, as on Friday the car had suffered from understeer and inconsistent front grip in that area. The improved handling over the kerbs was also remarkable, thanks to a setup carefully studied to limit the suspension’s oscillation and keep the platform stable. Ferrari’s engineers clearly worked to ensure the car remained predictable and composed when riding over the kerbs — a key factor on a circuit where aggressive kerb usage can lead to valuable tenths of a second.
Turn 4 was another area where the team invested a considerable amount of attention and effort. During the first free practice sessions, Ferrari lost valuable time on corner entry, particularly when compared to rivals like McLaren and Mercedes. However, by the time qualifying arrived, the SF-25 had become one of the most competitive cars in that specific corner entry phase, demonstrating the progress achieved through overnight adjustments and simulator guidance.
In the entry phase of Turn 6, the red cars even showed an advantage of roughly six-tenths of a second over Lando Norris for several meters. To clarify, this advantage was a peak benefit achieved mainly under braking, which then gradually evened out through the rest of the corner. This specific performance detail highlights how Ferrari, between Friday and Saturday, chose to significantly reduce the gap in corner entry — a strategic and technical decision that ultimately proved to be the correct one in improving the overall lap time. This fine-tuning of the braking phase and corner entry balance allowed the drivers, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, to push harder without compromising stability or mid-corner control.
Another interesting and crucial area of analysis concerns the second sector of the Mexican circuit, which is generally characterized by a flowing series of medium and high-speed corners. This is the portion of the track where many expected the Ferrari SF-25 to struggle compared to its direct competitors, mainly due to the car’s previous difficulties in maintaining aerodynamic load through fast directional changes. The expectation was that Ferrari would lose time here because of a lack of vertical load transfer efficiency. However, the Italian team surprised many by creating a setup that allowed the car to be remarkably competitive and efficient in this sector. The balance they achieved enabled the SF-25 to carry more speed through the quick turns without losing too much stability from the rear end. Even though rear stability was not absolutely perfect, the improvements were clear and measurable, especially when analyzing telemetry comparisons.
Ferrari: the importance of top speed
Throughout the entire weekend, the Prancing Horse enjoyed a noticeable advantage in terms of top speed, a factor that played a key role in both qualifying and race simulations. Having a competitive straight-line speed is especially valuable at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, where the long main straight often exceeds 1.2 kilometers and where overtaking opportunities depend heavily on DRS activation and drag efficiency. Ferrari managed to combine efficient downforce levels with reduced aerodynamic drag, allowing the SF-25 to reach impressive terminal velocities.
However, in the decisive Q3 session, McLaren made a clear and strong step forward, especially due to Lando Norris’s ability to interpret and approach this complex sequence of corners in a particularly efficient manner. The MCL39 showed great solidity and consistency throughout the so-called “snake” section — which includes Turns 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 — recovering a considerable amount of time on the cars from Maranello. Lando Norris’s precise driving style, combined with McLaren’s excellent mechanical grip in that area, helped the team close the gap.
A similar pattern emerged in the stadium section, where under braking Ferrari remained slightly ahead of its rivals but then lost some ground from the mid-corner phase onwards due to traction limitations. Still, the SF-25’s overall handling and predictability remained strong, with Charles Leclerc able to confidently place the car exactly where he wanted, which is a crucial aspect for both qualifying laps and race management.
Finally, one last but very important aspect of Ferrari’s performance deserves attention: top speed and straight-line efficiency. This element of the setup could prove especially valuable during the race itself, as defending positions in Mexico heavily depends on minimizing vulnerability along the straights. The best top speed values across each sector of the circuit belonged to the two Ferraris, a distinctive trait that could provide a decisive defensive advantage. With speeds exceeding 300 kilometers per hour before Turn 1, being able to resist attacks from cars behind is a huge asset, particularly against rivals like Red Bull and McLaren, who rely on high top speed for overtaking.
In summary, the Mexican Grand Prix weekend highlighted how Ferrari’s technical department and operations team managed to combine aerodynamic efficiency, mechanical balance, and execution at a very high level. The SF-25 proved capable of adapting well to a demanding circuit that exposes both the strengths and weaknesses of any Formula 1 car. While there is still work to be done, particularly in terms of traction out of slow corners and maintaining rear-end stability through fast sections, the overall performance marked an important step forward. The progress seen in Mexico City showed that the Scuderia is not only improving in pace but also in consistency and adaptability — two elements that are key for challenging the likes of Red Bull, McLaren, and Mercedes in the final races of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
And you? What do you think about the Maranello team’s prospects for the Mexican Grand Prix race? 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.
Leave a Reply