At just under 19 years old, Andrea Kimi Antonelli achieved his first career pole, setting a new record in the series as the youngest pole sitter ever. This pole came after several “struggling” GPs linked to an experience he had last year in F1. After another lackluster performance from Ferrari in the Sprint Qualifying, Antonelli shone in the telemetry and lit up the afternoon in Miami.
In the early 2025 season, Antonelli didn’t stand out in qualifying despite his potential being praised by many in the paddock. After the incident in FP1 at the 2024 Monza GP, the 18-year-old from Bologna kept a low profile, not fully understanding the optimal window for Pirelli F1 tyres. However, the Miami weekend showcased significant growth in both the car and the Italian talent, especially on a track he had never raced on before.
Telemetry: The Detail Behind Antonelli’s Sprint Pole in Miami
The gap between Antonelli and Piastri was minimal, with just 50 milliseconds separating the Mercedes and McLaren drivers. Until the 17th sector, McLaren had led, followed by Red Bull (Verstappen), Mercedes, and Ferrari. However, the script was completely flipped in the final meters of the lap, with the young Italian rookie overtaking everyone.
The evolution of the lap showed a good balance between Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri, while Charles Leclerc’s lap reflected the numerous issues plaguing the SF-25. In the telemetry comparison, the W16 and MCL39 were neck and neck halfway through the lap, with Antonelli aggressively attacking the slow section, gaining almost a tenth on Piastri.
Despite this, the MCL39’s long range allowed Piastri to make up about three tenths, moving ahead in terms of lap time. However, the exit from Turn 16 wasn’t optimal, and Oscar Piastri lost just under a tenth, with Antonelli closing in. The gap increased when all three approached the braking zone for Turn 17, where Oscar Piastri had a 320 millisecond advantage. This highlighted the difference in braking approaches, with Antonelli choosing to brake earlier, which allowed him to perfectly set up the exit.
Ferrari: The Structural Issue That’s Almost Impossible to Fix
The SF-25 once again showed the major limitations of its “short blanket,” performing well in high-speed corners but struggling in the slow ones, or vice versa. A car that, after the Australian race, has turned into a worse version of the SF-23.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s car is currently dealing with a rear end that is too light and weak, significantly limiting the front end. This issue was pointed out first by us, and now everyone is reporting it. The rear, if fully utilized, should allow the SF-25 to compete with the MCL39.
However, based on what happened in the Miami Sprint Qualifying, Ferrari did well, at least with Leclerc, in the faster sections and the more challenging braking zones. Yet, it’s precisely from the more difficult braking zones that the limits imposed by the problematic rear suspension are apparent. Traction, which was one of Ferrari’s strengths last year, seems to have disappeared with the SF-25.
The minimal squat needed for better traction is missing, causing Leclerc to make a mistake in acceleration toward Turn 2, where a small snap increased his gap.
In short, a rear suspension that acts up and is set in a “wooden board” mode will make the SF-25 unpredictable and difficult to drive. The arrival of updates is more urgent than ever, at least to understand whether we should despair for another “we’ll win next year” or something else.
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