Ferrari arrives in Las Vegas with a clear ambition: fighting at the front and closing the gap in the constructors’ championship to secure second place. Frederic Vasseur believes the team has the potential to insert itself among the leading positions, although flawless execution and a deep understanding of tyre behaviour in cold conditions will be essential.
Three Grands Prix remain to try to finish a disappointing season on a different note. Three opportunities to achieve the target of second place in the constructors’ standings — an objective set by the President of Ferrari immediately after the Brazilian Grand Prix. Las Vegas represents the first chance to show a reaction of pride.
From a development standpoint, the SF-25 has remained unchanged for a long time, meaning that one of the few areas where Ferrari can make a difference is the ability to read the weekend correctly and focus on execution. The American round is one of the most treacherous of the entire season, with very low temperatures that challenge tyre management and significantly increase the risk of graining.
This phenomenon is made even more complex by the asphalt characteristics and overall layout of the circuit. The track surface features numerous bumps yet offers limited roughness, making it relatively smooth — a combination that reduces the grip generated by the tyres. This is particularly delicate for Ferrari, a team historically sensitive to changes in ride height.
The long straights, low-downforce setups, and the lack of high-speed corners drastically reduce the ability to build temperature within the tyre carcass, while the surface of the tyre is subjected to constant thermal fluctuations. This makes it crucial to identify the correct balance, not only for qualifying but also across the entire race.
It is no secret that the SF-25 struggles more on a single lap than over race distance. However, the Scuderia’s Team Principal is convinced that progress made in recent events — particularly in execution and tyre understanding thanks to deeper data analysis rather than a “blind box” approach — shows that Ferrari can once again aim for a strong showing in Las Vegas.
“Las Vegas is a unique event on the calendar: the atmosphere, the schedule — with the race taking place on Saturday night — and the circuit itself make it something special. In the last few rounds we have delivered solid performances and have been able to fight at the front; we aim to repeat that this weekend. In Las Vegas it will be especially important to focus on all the specific challenges this track presents,” Fred Vasseur commented.
These elements are well known to the Scuderia. In Las Vegas, teams will run low-downforce configurations, and it will not be surprising to see an SF-25 set up similarly to Monza — although without the long, fast corners that had highlighted Ferrari’s floor-related downforce deficit compared to Red Bull and McLaren. This, however, also means generating less tyre temperature for qualifying, which is why teams often alternate between one and two warm-up laps here.
Some traits of the track will certainly play a role, but the decisive factor in Nevada will be the one Frederic Vasseur has repeatedly stressed this season: understanding how to make the tyres work. In slow corners, mechanical grip is crucial, and if the tyres are not brought into their ideal working window, the risk is losing far more time than expected from the car’s baseline characteristics.
“Managing the tyres in very low temperatures will once again be a key factor, as will correctly interpreting the race to identify the best strategic opportunities. As always, we will focus on ourselves, making sure we leave no performance on the table,” Fred Vasseur added.
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