On Saturday, the Ferrari team looked very competitive at the Monza circuit, demonstrating a promising pace throughout the day, although in the final attempt many observers and analysts were expecting an additional, albeit small, improvement that could have allowed the team to seriously challenge for pole position in the Italian Grand Prix. The potential for this was clearly present in the SF-25, but everything depended on putting together a flawless qualifying lap, an operation that turned out to be very complex. Despite having optimised the car to a significant extent, the engineers and strategists in Maranello are still facing several long-standing and recurring issues that limit the car’s full potential.
SF-25 optimised, but the limits remain
From a handling perspective, the Ferrari SF-25 confirmed a certain tendency towards understeer, a phenomenon that has been observed consistently in various track conditions this season, although the overall balance of the car was reasonably solid and remained effective during the critical moments of qualifying. In general terms, the car’s overall performance equation was working well, but to extract the maximum potential required not only perfect preparation but also perfect execution from both Ferrari drivers, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. The SF-25 demonstrated good traction characteristics, which were enhanced by the low-downforce aerodynamic package specifically designed for the unique characteristics of the Monza circuit, known for its long straights and a limited number of slower, technical corners.
Following the on-track sessions on Friday, the Ferrari team devoted significant time and resources to improving braking performance and stability. However, it quickly became apparent that the system was not yet fully optimised, and there were still some areas that required fine-tuning. During the final free practice session, several drivers, including Charles Leclerc, experienced lock-ups into Turn 1, which clearly indicated that the braking balance was still not perfect. The Maranello engineers attempted to correct this issue using various adjustment knobs and settings available on the steering wheel, a complex task that requires coordination between the drivers’ feedback and real-time telemetry data.
The Ferrari technicians managed to improve stability across several braking zones, where the car had previously shown a lack of confidence. However, despite these improvements, Ferrari was still unable to reach the level of Red Bull, who remain the benchmark in braking precision and overall balance. Charles Leclerc drove exceptionally well under these conditions, but even he lost approximately two tenths of a second between the first and second chicane, highlighting the fine margins at this level of Formula 1. In qualifying, much of the outcome depended on the sensitivity and feel of the individual driver, as effectively managing the relatively low levels of grip was crucial to putting together a complete and clean lap. Max Verstappen of Red Bull, in particular, excelled in this area, demonstrating why he remains one of the most consistent and skilled drivers in modern Formula 1.
Ferrari’s plan only worked partially
Another major limitation of the SF-25 remained in its performance through the few technical corners present on the Italian track. These sections, although brief, represent key moments where the car must display stability and precision, and they are also where Ferrari lost the most ground to the McLaren MCL39 cars driven by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. During qualifying, both Ferrari drivers had to find a way to minimise losses in the central sector of the track. They were able to limit the deficit relative to Max Verstappen, but against the McLarens, which were performing exceptionally well in this part of the circuit, the Ferraris were unable to fully compensate.
In the remaining sectors of the track, both SF-25 cars were able to recover some time thanks to higher top speeds on the long straights, demonstrating the advantages of Ferrari’s low-drag aerodynamic package. This approach was part of the team’s strategic plan, designed to maximise straight-line performance in order to mask or cover the weaknesses of the car in the slower, more technical portions of the track. This was a calculated theory developed by the engineers in Maranello, who carefully analysed every detail of the SF-25’s behaviour. It was the same approach adopted by Max Verstappen, although the Dutch driver and Red Bull team executed it more effectively, fully exploiting the advantages of this strategy.
Conversely, Ferrari was less consistent in the initial sector of the track and was unable to gain the full advantage expected in the remaining portions of the lap. However, through the two Lesmo corners, the SF-25 did manage to find a slight performance gain, which likely originated from a different tyre warm-up strategy applied to the red-marked soft compound. Frédéric Vasseur, the team principal, partially confirmed this strategy, explaining that Ferrari had preferred to focus on proper tyre activation rather than engaging in slipstreaming tactics, prioritising consistent lap times over speculative aerodynamic gains from following other cars.
The importance of the medium tyre in Ferrari’s setup
As has been consistently demonstrated over the past few seasons, and as Ferrari engineers have repeatedly emphasised, tyre behaviour remains one of the most decisive factors under the current technical regulations. At Monza, as was the case during the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort earlier this year, the ability to make the most effective use of the available tyre compounds during qualifying was a critical factor in achieving competitive lap times. Observations from Free Practice 3 indicated that the yellow-marked medium compound actually adapted better to the characteristics of the Ferrari SF-25 than the softer red-marked tyre, which on paper should have provided higher performance.
There is a clear technical explanation for this phenomenon. The rear tyres on the Ferrari generate a relatively larger load compared to other cars, and using the soft compound exacerbates the car’s understeer, negatively affecting its overall balance and making cornering more difficult. Each tyre compound therefore requires a specifically tailored setup. The soft compound, with its greater rear grip bias, tends to accentuate the car’s difficulty in rotating through corners, highlighting one of the recurring characteristics of the SF-25.
This situation could ultimately be advantageous for Ferrari during the race. The medium compound, which is expected to be the starting tyre for most of the leading teams, seems to offer the best compromise between performance and stability for the SF-25. The same reasoning applies to the harder compound. Charles Leclerc has been particularly clear in communicating Ferrari’s primary objective for the Monza Grand Prix: to try to win by taking advantage of every possible opportunity during the race. Tyre management could be one of these decisive factors, provided that Ferrari is able to optimise the performance of the SF-25 on the medium and hard compounds, extracting the best potential from each set.
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