“We decided to halt SF-25 development early" - Ferrari chief engineer highlights issues comparing McLaren

Matteo Togninalli has revealed the reasons behind the halt in development of the SF-25, making a particular comparison between Ferrari and McLaren. The current Head of Track Engineering spoke about multiple issues affecting not only the performance of the SF-25 but also other areas where Ferrari struggles, explaining why the team lags behind competitors.In recent weeks, rumors surfaced of a possible clash between Fred Vasseur and Matteo Togninalli after the Singapore Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton’s brake failure due to high temperatures was linked to technical choices made over the weekend. Matteo Togninalli, responsible for setting the car’s direction and setup, was identified as the key figure. The incident reportedly sparked Fred Vasseur’s anger, although Ferrari later denied any conflict. Despite this, Ferrari’s Sprint Qualifying results of eighth and tenth positions show that problems persist. The SF-25’s technical situation is now worrying, also due to the decision to stop development earlier than rivals.

Togninalli: “Halting development one package early can make the difference”

“As Fred often says, we struggle to put everything together. And by everything, I mean everything — not just one aspect or one person. The team is a complete package, like an orchestra. We chose to halt development perhaps earlier than some of our rivals, and at the moment the difference between P2 and P7 is only 1-2 tenths. We are all very close. Stopping development one package early can make a difference and make everything more difficult. So if you combine these factors, you lack a bit of performance and try to recover it on track, but you risk underperforming and failing to put everything together,” Matteo Togninalli explained, as reported by AutoRacer.it.

At Maranello, under Loic Serra’s guidance, Ferrari focused on developing the rear suspension while freezing all aerodynamic updates. A floor upgrade planned for Baku was rejected. In modern F1, there’s little to gain mechanically, and performance improvements largely come from aero upgrades. This decision now weighs heavily on Ferrari, which often finds itself behind Sauber, Williams, and Racing Bulls.

“We could have done better in Baku, and even in Singapore, we had more potential. Charles’ final lap could have been P2/P3, for example. If you start ahead in Singapore, you finish ahead. We need to stay calm, do our best, and take the opportunities that arise.” Hearing perspectives other than Fred Vasseur’s is certainly valuable, but Matteo Togninalli also emphasized the team’s ‘potential’ story. While the car had some margin in Baku, even a slight drop in temperatures making the SF-25 undrivable signals deeper issues.

Matteo Togninalli’s controversial Ferrari vs McLaren comparison

“The balance isn’t the simplest. Look at the McLaren MCL39 — it’s incredible. They’re not faster because they have more force or downforce, but because it’s more drivable. You can improve it with setup and minor tweaks, but that’s also part of the car and how it behaves. Ours is quite difficult, so we’re more exposed to mistakes. Drivers must work harder to get results. Tires are very sensitive, so every small error, lockup, or oversteer costs performance. If the car is at the limit, you use the tires more and degrade them. This is true for everyone, but a more drivable car is gentler on tires, and so on.”

The Head of Track Engineering went on to compare Ferrari’s balance to McLaren’s. Calling the papaya-colored car ‘simply’ more drivable is simplistic. A platform that performs consistently across all conditions and tracks results from meticulous and precise work. The SF-25 was only close to the MCL39 in the simulator. It is a flawed project, one that will remain so, with hopes that the same mistakes are not repeated in 2026. Fred Vasseur will be the first to hope for this, or his position could be reconsidered.