SF-25: Ferrari yet to resolve key unanswered question following Bahrain F1 testing
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Lewis Hamilton is just over a week away from making his much-anticipated Grand Prix debut with Ferrari. The British driver has been hard at work, preparing extensively for the 2025 season as he transitions into a new chapter of his career with the Scuderia.
Ferrari has facilitated Hamilton's integration into the team by providing him with four private test sessions in their F1 machinery, the latest of which was in the SF-25 at Fiorano, just a day after the car's livery was revealed at the F1 75 launch event. Hamilton also spent three days behind the wheel of the SF-25 during the pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit. Although the seven-time world champion did not encounter any major issues with the car, the test did not go as smoothly as he might have hoped.
Surprisingly, the 40-year-old completed only 162 laps during the three-day testing session, a tally lower than that of three other drivers: Max Verstappen, Liam Lawson, and Lance Stroll. Despite this, there were several promising signs from both Hamilton and the SF-25, as the Brit finished at the top of the timesheets at the midway point of the test. His lap time of 1:29.379 was faster than the best time set by Carlos Sainz in 2024, signaling a clear step forward for the Maranello team.
Lewis Hamilton enters the 2025 Formula 1 campaign with renewed vigor, aiming to capture his eighth drivers' title with Ferrari. However, despite the encouraging performance in testing, there remains one significant 'unanswered question' about the SF-25 as the team heads into the season opener at the Australian Grand Prix.
Ferrari’s SF-25 and the 'Unanswered Question' of Tyre Management for the 2025 Season
As mentioned earlier, Ferrari arranged four private test sessions for the Briton before the official pre-season testing, including his outing in Bahrain. However, the team had not yet provided him with his 'definitive' 2025 steering wheel, which meant Hamilton had to adjust to a new setup once again.
One of the primary areas Ferrari has focused on during these tests is tyre management, a crucial aspect of Formula 1 racing. Hamilton struggled with this at Mercedes during the ground-effect era, especially with high degradation, which contributed to his lowest career finish of seventh place in the 2024 season. Tyre management has been identified as an ongoing challenge with the SF-25, and according to journalist Craig Scarborough on the Inside Line F1 Podcast, it remains an 'unanswered question' for Ferrari's 2025 car. It's still unclear whether the SF-25 will be able to manage its tyres effectively under varying track conditions, and the answer will only come once the car is tested in a race environment.
As Ferrari prepares for the season ahead, this crucial aspect of the car's performance will be under close scrutiny as Hamilton and his team look to tackle one of the biggest challenges in modern F1 racing: managing tire wear and degradation across different circuits and conditions. The journalist stated that the real unanswered question regarding the Ferrari car is how it will manage tires during a race. They noted that Ferrari had some ups and downs with tire management last year, but finished the season on a strong note. Despite a mid-season dip, they emphasized that the true test would come when the car faces a variety of track conditions. According to the journalist, it is only after the team encounters hot and cold temperatures, front-limited and rear-limited tracks, and both fast and slow-speed circuits that they will begin to get clearer answers about the car's tire management capabilities.
Lewis Hamilton was observed adopting a ‘dynamite’ driving technique from his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc during the Bahrain pre-season testing. As Hamilton prepares for the 2025 Formula 1 season, he aims to ensure his Ferrari car is both competitive and capable of securing a championship. However, the seven-time world champion is facing stiff competition, with Ferrari's rivals showcasing promising developments during the test sessions in Bahrain.
There are rumors circulating in the paddock that Mercedes may have surpassed Ferrari in terms of car development. This would be a frustrating turn of events for Hamilton, who recently left the Silver Arrows after years of grappling with an inconsistent car.
One of Hamilton's key challenges this season will be competing against his teammate, Charles Leclerc, who is renowned for his exceptional one-lap pace. In Bahrain, Hamilton was seen adopting a driving technique commonly associated with Leclerc—specifically, the use of throttle and brake overlap, which involves carrying extra engine power into corners for quicker entry. This strategy has proven to be highly effective for Leclerc during qualifying and could serve Hamilton well in 2025, assuming the SF-25 is capable of handling the extra power efficiently.
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