SF-25 analysis: Ferrari unveils new floor and interesting solution for brake cooling
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Photos from Fiorano’s shakedown have revealed several updates on the Ferrari SF-25 single-seater, with the floor being the most prominent. Additionally, the brake cooling ducts stand out, showing a distinct design compared to McLaren’s, though the Ferrari engineers and technicians has adopted a similar rear wing. The Italian side has also updated the front wing, making subtle adjustments to the geometry, likely improving flexibility.
Pull Rod Modifies Cooling
Real-world images offer a clearer view of the front suspension, particularly compared to the renderings. Aside from the shift to a pull-rod configuration, the suspension follows the same layout as the previous Formula 1 season. Ferrari opts for a moderate misalignment of the upper arms, prioritizing mechanical behavior over McLaren’s aerodynamic-oriented approach with more inclined arms. The cooling ducts for the brakes are significantly altered on the SF-25 due to the different pull-rod attachment point to the hub carrier.
Brake cooling remains an often overlooked area for the public. Internal aerodynamics play a key role in tire temperature management, while rear venting affects downstream aerodynamics by expelling hot air and interacting with wheel turbulence. Notably, Ferrari employs a different strategy from McLaren in this regard. Unlike McLaren, Ferrari's pull rod does not run through the brake duct, which is rerouted under the rod.
As for the front suspension, the various photos from the Fiorano circuit confirm a feature that seemed like a render trick—a rearward upper arm attached to a bulge in the chassis. This suggests Ferrari may be sacrificing some aerodynamic cleanliness to better control wheel inclination in corners. The lower arm's attachment has a new fairing, interacting differently with the airflow structure altered by the pull-rod layout.
The new floor
The area of greatest interest on the SF-25 single-seater is the floor, the least visible but at the same time the most important component for ground-effect Formula 1 cars. The images offer a brief glimpse of the Venturi channel entrances, where it can be seen that the innermost duct now rises above the floor, generating an additional vortex at the top to energize the downstream flow. This modification indicates the work done in this area, suggesting the presence of other hidden changes. In contrast, the same perspective highlights the adjustments made to the outermost flow deviator, which is now much more refined.
The floor of the SF-25 car represents an evolution of the experimental version introduced in November at Las Vegas and only used in the race in Qatar. It is a change in approach for Ferrari, whose goal was to develop a floor that would provide greater stability through faster corners. Compared to the 2024 Formula 1 car, the initial specification of the SF-25 features some changes to the outer edge, particularly along the central raised section, as explained by F1 expert Carlo Platella for the Italian website formulapassion.
The front wing of the SF-25 mirrors the late 2024 specification, but it is a new component. This is confirmed by the shift of the two central supports beneath the nose, now moved further outward. It is reasonable to believe that Ferrari has focused primarily on the flexibility of the wing, which is valuable for balancing high and low-speed corners, although the new technical directive will tighten deformation tests starting from the Spanish Grand Prix.
At the rear, the new medium-load wing makes its debut, inspired by the wing introduced by McLaren at the last Brazilian Grand Prix and carried over to the new MCL39. This marks a shift in philosophy compared to the past, with a pronounced V-shape toward the center, a geometry that has proven to be more efficient in CFD and wind tunnel tests. Ferrari and McLaren continue to study each other, but not without thinking for themselves, both developing different original solutions.
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