Mexico GP, Ferrari follows a familiar path in the 20th round of the 2025 F1 season. The team opts for a medium-high aerodynamic load to provide stability to the car while taking advantage of the track’s unique aerodynamic characteristics. This requires a precise setup strategy based on the car’s traits: “hiding” the limits and maximizing potential in the sections that best suit the Scuderia.
SF-25: seeking balance to achieve the technical compromise
For the Mexico Grand Prix weekend, the leading teams confirmed the same technical choices used at the previous round in Austin. Although the Central American circuit features more high-speed straights, the lower air density caused by the track’s specific altitude allows the use of wings with higher aerodynamic load.
However, it is important to clarify that teams do not use the maximum available load configurations, such as those employed on the twisty Monaco circuit. As anticipated in the previous days, Ferrari opts for a medium-high aerodynamic load, a solution similar to that already adopted for the specific setups in Barcelona, Hungary, Singapore, and Austin.
Observing the progress of the 2025 season, it can be confirmed that the Italian car achieves good top speeds, although, as we have analyzed repeatedly, recent races show a marked parity among teams in terms of maximum speed. This is explained quite simply, considering the optimization of the package that the various teams have managed to consolidate.
In general terms, if the setup construction mirrors that of the last season, Ferrari’s priority will be to maximize the car’s performance in the first and final sectors of the track, while the central sector will most likely be dominated by Red Bull and McLaren, requiring particular attention to limit potential performance losses.
In 2024, this was the strategy regarding vertical load. The experience gained by the teams has shown that a medium-high load level represents the ideal balance for this type of circuit. Exceeding this threshold would increase downforce, but the relative benefit in cornering performance would not justify the loss of top speed on the straights.
McLaren and Red Bull: the load impact remains to be verified
Regarding the McLaren MCL39s and Red Bull RB21s, it emerges that their respective load choices are consistent with those of the historic Italian team. In addition to the United States GP, the Woking team also used the same configuration in Zandvoort, similar to Red Bull, which had already applied it in Bahrain and Barcelona.
Within this discussion, it should be emphasized that all rear wing specifications offer a certain range of adjustments, functional for modulating the load according to track requirements. For this reason, only a detailed analysis of the data collected on track during the weekend will allow an accurate understanding of the actual load installed on each car.
Regarding top speeds on Austin’s longest straight, the cars’ top speeds were equivalent, with no substantial differences between teams. However, thanks to increased lateral grip, in Mexico, McLaren and Red Bull might choose to run slightly lower load than optimal to maximize speed on the longest straights.
Even for Mercedes, the aerodynamic specification used remains the same as seen between Singapore and Austin: compared to Mexico, these are three circuits with profoundly different characteristics, requiring a particularly versatile and adaptable setup. This is precisely what the Brackley team aims to achieve with its specification.
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