Will Ferrari’s Mugello Filming Day bring the breakthrough the SF-25 needs?

Ferrari prepares for filming day at Mugello: but does it really make sense?

Scuderia Ferrari is eagerly awaiting the Belgian Grand Prix, which promises to be a pivotal event in the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship. While not expected to challenge McLaren for the title—since the British team is effectively running its own separate championship—Ferrari’s main goal is to unlock the full potential of their car and establish themselves firmly as the second strongest team on the grid. This is both their minimum and maximum target for the season. Equally important, the Belgian GP will serve as a crucial moment to validate the work of the technical staff led by Loïc Serra. Serra’s team has come under scrutiny following the disappointing performance of the SF-25, a car on which Serra had limited influence since he only started his role in October, after the project was largely finalized. Therefore, the tangible results of the current team’s efforts will only become apparent with the introduction of a new rear suspension system designed to correct the shortcomings of the previous rear-end concept.

Details of the suspension upgrade

Ferrari’s objective with this new suspension upgrade is to address the flaws that have emerged throughout the season—issues that have prevented the Ferrari SF-25 from operating as originally intended and have made it impossible to extract its full performance potential. Maranello engineers believe that this problem can be overcome with the new rear suspension, which is set to debut soon. This new system is inspired by a concept introduced by Mercedes, where the front arm of the upper wishbone will be angled forward. This adjustment aims to stabilize the car during transitional phases and braking, ultimately allowing for stiffer setups and minimal ride heights. These parameters are critical because the SF-25 was designed to maximize downforce generated by the car’s floor at very low ground clearance.

These significant corrective measures are not only intended to salvage the 2025 campaign but also to lay a solid foundation for the 2026 car development. The mechanical improvements will be carried forward into next year’s project, which is why Ferrari has scheduled a filming day at Mugello on July 16. During this session, the car equipped with the new suspension will be tested on the challenging Tuscan circuit to evaluate how its behavior changes through different types of corners. The team hopes to gather valuable data and insights on the effectiveness of their development work.

Is testing at Mugello really meaningful?

However, one may question the real usefulness of conducting this test under current conditions. According to FIA regulations, only 200 kilometers can be driven during the filming day at Scarperia, and teams are required to use demo tires rather than race compounds. When evaluating suspension changes, this factor is far from negligible, as it directly affects grip levels, stiffness, and ride height—all critical parameters that will behave differently compared to race weekends. Additionally, the timing chosen for this test is not optimal, given the limited mileage available, of which some kilometers will be dedicated to commercial filming activities.

Far from being a guaranteed solution, Ferrari’s filming day—although planned to take place as soon as the new components were ready—raises concerns about how much useful data can truly be collected to assess the upgrade. Furthermore, reliable judgment on the suspension’s effectiveness will be difficult even at the Belgian Grand Prix. There, the Sprint race weekend format will provide only one hour of practice sessions, limiting testing opportunities and comparisons. This constraint will force Ferrari’s engineers to deploy the new solution with significant impact almost blindly.

Therefore, it will be crucial for both the team and the broader Formula 1 technical community not to rush to conclusions about the success of Ferrari’s new rear suspension. Instead, Maranello should be given a couple of races to refine the system and its integration into the car. This cautious approach mirrors what other teams have recently experienced when undertaking major technical changes, as tangible benefits only became clear after one or two race weekends.