The 2025 Formula 1 season for Ferrari is shaping up to be remembered as one of the most challenging and frustrating campaigns in recent history. The Circuit of the Americas and other tracks have highlighted the limits of the SF-25, a technical project affected by serious issues that were not fully appreciated in simulation contexts. These shortcomings have been managed on track through compromise solutions, designed primarily to ensure the car remains within the technical regulations.
Recently, rumors circulated suggesting that the SF-25 might be irregular and that the FIA could be overlooking certain details. Let’s take a closer look at the situation to understand the facts behind these claims.
Ferrari’s struggles attract FIA attention
During the Chinese Grand Prix, Ferrari’s car number 44 was disqualified due to excessive wear on the plank located on the floor of the vehicle. This was compounded by the simultaneous exclusion of Charles Leclerc’s car from the final classification because the car was below the minimum weight required by the regulations. From that moment, the dynamics at Maranello changed significantly.
The way Ferrari approached subsequent race weekends followed a predictable pattern. The cars often performed best on Fridays, even taking into account the varied programs of their competitors. However, when it came to making critical decisions regarding the car setup for qualifying and the race, the level of flexibility became highly constrained and choices had to be made with very little margin.
According to recent reports, the caution exercised by Ferrari’s engineers has been amplified by strict oversight from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). It should be noted that, aside from the Chinese Grand Prix incident, both Charles Leclerc’s and Lewis Hamilton’s cars have consistently been found to comply with all FIA inspections. This is confirmed unequivocally by the “Post Race Checks” conducted by the governing body after each event.
The high number of checks on car number 16 should not come as a surprise. The Formula 1 paddock is a small, tight-knit community where information spreads quickly, regardless of team colors or uniforms. The issues concerning the SF-25’s excessive plank wear were widely known among insiders, and for those familiar with the technical aspects of the sport, the problem was evident from the start.
Ferrari SF-25 under the microscope: fully compliant with regulations
As revealed exclusively, FIA delegates visited Maranello as early as March 2025. This was certainly not a “courtesy visit” regarding flexible wings. It is also important to remember that, starting from the Spanish Grand Prix, Technical Directive TD018 came into effect, tightening the rules regarding aeroelasticity. Our editorial team was present at the Montmelò circuit to witness these inspections firsthand.
The FIA delegates tested all cars for compliance with deflection limits. Those of us who observed the process live could not fail to notice the activity and urgency among Ferrari personnel, as the checks had not yet been completed just minutes before parc fermé regulations came into effect.
This took place on Saturday, approximately forty minutes before qualifying, when the mechanics, under the supervision of Chief Engineer Matteo Togninalli, hurried to the FIA delegate garage. A closed-door inspection was conducted, followed by a brief ten-minute meeting outside the Ferrari garage involving Fred Vasseur, Matteo Togninalli, and Jerome D’Ambrosio. After the checks, the SF-25 was cleared to participate in qualifying without issue.
In addition to the routine post-race inspections carried out on all Formula 1 cars, the SF-25 has been subject to extensive FIA scrutiny in several key areas, including:
- Steering wheel assembly
- Clutch actuation system
- Control electronics
- Driver inputs and instrumentation
- Sensors and actuators connected to the standard ECU
- Mechanisms capable of producing asymmetric braking torque on the rear axle
- Rear brake caliper pressure monitoring to ensure it does not exceed the force applied by the brake pedal
- Fuel systems
- Physical inspection of the Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), which monitors both pressure and temperature of the tyres
FIA actions entirely legitimate
The scrutiny applied by FIA personnel led by Tombazis is not a sign of bias or persecution against Ferrari in search of some hypothetical illegal advantage. The FIA is well aware that Ferrari does not intentionally implement illegal or borderline solutions. On the contrary, the SF-25 is a car with a flawed design that, in order to perform on track, naturally operates close to the regulatory limits.
Considering the narrow setup window that Ferrari must work within to extract even minimal performance with a reasonable safety margin, it is incorrect to claim that the SF-25 is irregular or subjected to repeated inspections to detect potential cheating. Likewise, any suggestion that the FIA might be “turning a blind eye” is unfounded. The reality is simple: Ferrari’s car struggles on track due to technical shortcomings, not because it is non-compliant.
