The telemetry comparison between the SF-24 and SF-25 at the Imola GP is rather harsh, despite a tyre compound advantage and a year of development.
The 2025 car was supposed to be the one to bring the world title back to Maranello after many years of drought. A car born from a radical technical change, switching from push-rod to pull-rod front suspension. However, new problems have emerged that have nullified all the work. The FP2 telemetry analysis comparing the SF-24 and SF-25 at the Imola GP reveals a brutal comparison.
The first concerning data point is the SF-25’s speed gain on the straight in front of the pits. This year’s car gained just 3 km/h, despite being more efficient. This is even more troubling because the SF-25 ran FP2 with a more aggressive engine map, observable in the engine revs being on average 150 to 200 RPM higher.
While cornering speed at Tamburello is similar, what raises questions is the deceleration. In the SF-24 vs SF-25 comparison, last year’s car recovers over a tenth of a second just under braking at Turn 1.
Charles Leclerc sacrifices his driving style to extract performance from the SF-25
The differences between the 2024 and 2025 cars become more apparent approaching the Villeneuve chicane, where throttle input indicates how driveable the car is. In comparison, the SF-24 allowed 20%, at times even 30% throttle opening, versus a total lift-off with the 2025 car. This indicates a car that struggles significantly during high-speed transitions, where communication between the front and rear ends is critical.
From Turns 5-6, the Villeneuve chicane, the SF-25 begins to fall behind the SF-24, with the 2024 car being consistently faster. This is particularly alarming given that 2025 saw the debut at Imola of the C6 compound, softer than the C5, which was the softest in 2024.
In the section from Tosa to Variante Gresini, the SF-24 is on average a tenth faster despite the tyre disadvantage. The Piratella passage is even more brutal, with the SF-24 clocking 8 km/h more than the SF-25. The gap nearly vanishes at Acque Minerali, where the two cars are comparable in cornering speed.
Once at the highest part of the circuit, the behaviour of the two cars diverges radically. The older car attacked the kerbs with confidence, maintaining slight throttle without destabilisation. A different story in 2025, where the current car becomes completely unbalanced when riding the first kerb at Gresini.
A car born from a technical director who exited mid-development, handed over to Fred Vasseur, whose role was to manage the team. A heavy legacy for Loic Serra, who hasn’t left Maranello since Melbourne to address the rear suspension. The rear end is currently the car’s main issue, preventing it from unlocking its true speed potential.
Source: f1ingenerale
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