According to Matteo Bobbi, Ferrari’s ongoing braking issues in Formula 1 are rooted in one key area — the “cooling” system. Although all F1 teams use similar Brembo components, the SF-25 suffers from a critical weakness in how its brakes are cooled. The result has been a recurring problem, particularly visible at the Singapore Grand Prix, where both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton struggled with overheating that slowed their race pace and almost forced the British driver to retire in the closing laps. However, Bobbi suggests that the real cause lies elsewhere — in a design choice where rival teams have already found better solutions.
The Singapore Grand Prix once again exposed the weaknesses of a car still showing fragility. What should have been a strong opportunity to return to the podium — one of the few remaining alongside Las Vegas — instead turned into another setback for Maranello, as Ferrari lost more Constructors’ Championship points to Mercedes. The difficulties started already on Saturday, when a disappointing qualifying session placed both Ferrari drivers in the midfield. From there, recovery was always going to be difficult, and the issue of overheating only compounded the team’s problems on race day.
Team principal Frédéric Vasseur explained the situation clearly: starting from the middle of the pack meant the cars were forced to run in hot, turbulent air — the SF-25’s greatest enemy. To manage the temperatures, both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were instructed to use lift and coast techniques under braking right from the opening laps. Late in the race, after switching to the soft tyres, Lewis Hamilton tried to push harder and closed the gap to Andrea Kimi Antonelli. But the brakes couldn’t handle the heat, and the seven-time world champion had to settle for ninth place instead of attacking for more points.
Bobbi: “Ferrari never modifies its brake ducts”
So why does Ferrari seem to struggle with brake temperatures more than the other teams? In a detailed technical analysis shared on YouTube, Matteo Bobbi offered his explanation: “The topic of lift and coast is terrifying. People talk about brakes, but the issue isn’t with Brembo. Ferrari uses the same braking components as Red Bull — the same calipers — while other constructors may rely on different suppliers for the discs.”
The real problem, Matteo Bobbi explained, is the cooling layout designed by each team. “I’ve said it many times: when I’m at the track, I can see the work each team does. I see how they modify their brake ducts from race to race. When a circuit requires more heat dissipation, the frontal section of the intake increases, and vice versa. Ferrari, on the other hand, constantly uses the same front configuration.”
Matteo Bobbi went on to add that the airflow through Ferrari’s brake intakes remains unchanged regardless of conditions. “They always have the same volume of air entering the duct. Of course, when you increase the section of the duct, you lose some downforce and aerodynamic efficiency, but at the same time you improve component cooling. It’s always a trade-off — you can’t have both. Naturally, there’s also the factor of internal cooling, but that’s still something that depends entirely on the team’s design choices,” he concluded.
Ferrari’s apparent unwillingness to adjust the brake duct configuration from one race to another may thus be one of the key reasons behind the SF-25’s recurring overheating issues. While other teams like Red Bull and McLaren have found a better aerodynamic balance that allows for more adaptable cooling setups, Ferrari’s more conservative approach seems to limit flexibility. As the championship enters its crucial final stretch, solving this problem could be essential if Maranello hopes to return to fighting for podiums and race wins in the remaining rounds.
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