Ferrari’s early struggles with the SF-25 setup
Frédéric Vasseur’s famous concept of “on-track execution” was partially realized during the second qualifying session. Only part of the garage managed to extract improvements: Charles Leclerc successfully adapted, while Lewis Hamilton struggled to match the pace. The difference partly lies in experience, as Lewis Hamilton has not developed the same intimate understanding of the Ferrari car that Charles Leclerc refined over seven seasons in Formula 1.
Lewis Hamilton also faced a notable tire issue, which he reported over the radio during Q1. Unfortunately, Ferrari did not provide adequate support to help him adapt, leaving the problem unresolved. Additionally, Friday’s sole practice session limited the team’s ability to fine-tune the car. Despite spending the entire hour testing the SF-25 on Hard tires to gather consistent data, the adjustments failed to deliver, leaving both cars lacking performance during the 100 km Sprint Race, particularly on top speed along the straights.
Key setup changes that improved the SF-25
It is worth noting that, even on Friday, the car’s balance was generally acceptable. A chronic understeer remained, but it did not severely affect handling, with drivers adjusting their driving accordingly. The main issues were lack of top speed and mid-sector stability, especially through Turns 8 and 10, where combined braking and turning proved challenging.
For Saturday, both drivers used a medium-to-high downforce rear wing, providing extra vertical load to improve stability under braking and through Turn 2. The Sprint Race was crucial for clarifying the optimal setup, particularly as Ferrari has increasingly prioritized qualifying performance for better race results over the full 300 km distance.
With the field so closely matched, gaining positions during the race relies heavily on achieving even a few tenths of a second advantage per lap. This underlines the importance of starting near the front, where maintaining position over the race becomes more feasible. Following the Sprint Race, Ferrari further adjusted the SF-25 to expand its operating window, addressing key weaknesses identified on Friday.
Leclerc’s precision work to optimize qualifying performance
The Sprint Race provided critical data on tire wear and floor behavior during a full race stint. Ferrari’s engineers focused on suspension stiffness and ride height adjustments, successfully narrowing the gap in the mid-sector that had previously limited performance. During qualifying, Charles Leclerc made some errors between Turns 8 and 10 before ultimately setting a perfect lap.
In the Sprint qualifying session, the Monegasque pushed the car to its limit, causing the rear to lose grip at the mid-corner. By Saturday’s final qualifying session, he had thoroughly explored the SF-25’s limits and fine-tuned his approach, executing a flawless lap with optimal traffic management, tire warm-up, and clean driving. Everything that had been lacking on Friday due to a restrictive setup was finally corrected.
Overall, Ferrari’s work on suspension rigidity, ride height, and setup optimization provided a tangible step forward for the SF-25, demonstrating the team’s ability to adapt and improve under the challenging conditions of Interlagos.
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