Ferrari is licking its wounds. The Chinese Grand Prix has severely impacted the two SF-25 cars: after the disappointing race result, with Charles Leclerc finishing fifth and Lewis Hamilton sixth, there was the cold shower of the double exclusion from the results due to two different technical irregularities revealed by the FIA stewards after the technical checks which were performed at the 5.451-kilometre Shanghai International Circuit.
In Maranello, they are aware of the serious mistakes made, but the team’s intention is to react as soon as possible, trying to erase from memory a weekend that will instead be etched (negatively) in the history of the Prancing Horse.
The Monegasque driver was disqualified because his car was one kilogram underweight after extracting the two liters of remaining fuel from the tank. According to reports, it emerged that the left front wing, with its side panel and attachments, weighed almost 1.5 kilograms. The car in its entirety would have been at the limit, but the mistake was accepting to redo the check with a replacement part that, although having the same design specifications, had a different construction, with possibly different planned flexing, and, therefore, a different weight.
There are cracks within the Maranello team, and they have become glaringly obvious, but in the face of difficulties, the team is trying to stay united, knowing that the SF-25 could still be a competitive car. Lewis Hamilton secured pole position in the Sprint race, which he won decisively, leaving the McLaren cars well behind.
It is true that the McLaren cars had a bit of a mishap in the Sprint and then fixed it for the Chinese Grand Prix, but it is equally true that the impressive pace displayed during Lewis Hamilton’s first winning run has not been seen since. The SF-25 generates aerodynamic downforce that is only visible when the red car is running close to the track surface. This setup choice worked well for the 100 kilometer race, where only 40 kilograms of fuel is needed, but the situation changes when the race distance extends to 305 kilometers for the Sunday Grand Prix, and the fuel tank holds around 100 kilograms of fuel.
The Maranello engineers and technicians had to raise the Ferrari off the ground, losing four-tenths per lap due to the reduced downforce generated by the floor and increased tire wear caused by the inability to deliver the necessary energy to the tires.
Some have pinpointed the issues in the rear of the car, where the gearbox casing has been miniaturized, shortened to allow for a better weight distribution, and the rear suspension has been redesigned, still using a pull-rod layout but with different kinematics. The suspicion is that the rear end lacks the necessary stiffness, ruling out aerodynamic issues as the primary cause.
According to our various reports in the Italian media, no suspension modifications are planned, but there is an ongoing evaluation of adjustments to the keel of the diffuser, where Ferrari has introduced a sort of step, a small ledge that generates more downforce, provided it operates at the height anticipated in the wind tunnel. Mechanically, the team will aim for a stiffer setup without changing parts.
It is not certain that modifications will arrive in time for the Japanese Grand Prix to equip both cars, making it more likely that changes will only be seen at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. On a demanding track like Suzuka, Ferrari’s engineers will need to find the best possible balance for the car, avoiding a situation where they swing from dominance to being the weakest among the top teams within just one day.
The recently resurfaced Japanese circuit is said to feature numerous dips and bumps, according to those who have had the privilege of driving on it. This means that it is certainly not the most suitable track for Ferrari, but after so many bold claims, a third consecutive weekend of struggles would be unacceptable.
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