Ferrari targeting solutions for chronic shortcoming in SF-25 F1 car amid cornering issues
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The development phase for the current generation of Formula 1 cars is nearing its conclusion, and Ferrari will be eager to capitalize on this opportunity to finally capture a long-awaited Constructors' Championship in 2025.
Last season's title fight was a nail-biter, culminating in Ferrari narrowly missing out to McLaren in the final showdown at Abu Dhabi. Both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz delivered arguably their strongest performances in Formula 1 to date, but a pivotal misstep during an upgrade introduced at the Spanish Grand Prix proved to be Ferrari's undoing.
Under the guidance of team principal Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari managed to recover from the setback mid-season, but the dip in form during that critical period likely cost them the points needed to surpass McLaren. With Lewis Hamilton set to join the team for the 2025 campaign, Vasseur and Ferrari's engineers in Maranello are determined not to repeat the same mistakes.
A report from *FormulaPassion* has shed light on Ferrari's vision for their 75th-anniversary Formula 1 car, emphasizing the team's focus on overcoming key challenges. While logistical hurdles might arise before the car's debut in pre-season testing, the Scuderia will aim to ensure these do not translate into performance issues on the track. If successful, Leclerc and Hamilton could be poised to deliver a historic title for Ferrari.
Ferrari's Persistent Struggles with Cornering and Plans for 2025
According to the Italian website FormulaPassion, the Maranello team’s engineers and technicians are aware that the car has been plagued by a “chronic shortcoming” in medium- and high-speed cornering performance for the past six seasons. This persistent issue has been a significant disadvantage, and Frederic Vasseur is reportedly prioritizing a resolution for the 2025 car.
The flawed upgrade introduced at the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix is believed to have exacerbated this problem, with circuits like the Circuit de Catalunya, Hungaroring, and Zandvoort laying bare Ferrari's cornering deficiencies. To counter this, Ferrari has shifted its design philosophy, focusing more on achieving a stable car balance rather than maximizing downforce—a move that paid off with Leclerc's victory at Monza, where the car excelled over a race distance.
This approach may also suit Hamilton, who has demonstrated stronger race-day performances compared to his qualifying form over the past year. The key, however, lies in optimizing the operating window of Pirelli's tires, as maintaining stability through corners can dramatically reduce tire degradation.
Ferrari's plan involves refining airflow management under the car's floor and along its sides to enhance mid-corner stability. If successful, this could mark a critical turning point for the team, potentially providing the edge needed to surpass McLaren and establish themselves as championship contenders in 2025.
Lewis Hamilton's Expectations and Ferrari's Ground Effect Challenges
Lewis Hamilton, now joining the Scuderia, will undoubtedly demand a car that addresses the corner-speed issues he often criticized during his time at Mercedes. The Silver Arrows struggled to adapt fully to the ground-effect regulations introduced in 2022, leading to unpredictable performance swings.
The Italian side is acutely aware of the razor-thin margin for error in their quest for championship glory. McLaren's team principal Andrea Stella notably delayed updates to their 2024 car out of caution over disrupting its operating window—a lesson the Ferrari team boss is likely to heed. All eyes will now turn to Bahrain, where Ferrari's 2025 car will face its first test. Success in the early rounds could set the stage for a season that finally ends Ferrari's championship drought.
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