Ferrari F1: the Scuderia will use a part from last year's car to hope to win in Monaco!

As the Monaco Grand Prix approaches, Ferrari is playing an unexpected but highly symbolic card: to shine in the narrow streets of Monte Carlo. Scuderia will reuse an aerodynamic element from the SF-24. This is the rear spoiler that enabled Charles Leclerc to take pole position and victory last year on this very special circuit. A step backwards? No, rather a strategic move, dictated by the unique characteristics of the Monegasque track and the current limitations of the SF-25.

A weekend of stakes and compromises

At Ferrari, we know that Saturday in Monaco is often more decisive than Sunday. On a track where overtaking is almost impossible, everything comes down to qualifying. But the SF-25 suffers from a structural problem that prevents the team from fully exploiting the car with an empty tank, the ideal condition for setting a pole time in qualifying.

In fact, when fuel levels drop, the aerodynamic load shifts backwards, highlighting the suspension's shortcomings. The result: in qualifying, Ferrari was forced to adopt a higher ground clearance to preserve the flat floor, losing up to 20 points of aerodynamic load. A huge sacrifice, especially in Monaco.

Revised rear suspension... but not yet ready

The technical department headed by Loïc Serra is well aware of these weaknesses. A new rear suspension, designed to solve these cornering behavior problems, has already undergone extensive testing. It is currently undergoing validation in the wind tunnel. But it won't arrive until Silverstone, in early July..

In the meantime, Ferrari must limit the damage... and seize the opportunities. In Monaco, a specific aerodynamic configuration will be adopted. According to Corriere Della Serra, the famous 2024 rear spoiler brought up to date. A pragmatic, almost nostalgic choice, but one with the potential to pay off.

Maranello's engineers are doing everything they can to "unleash the potential" of the SF-25. But the concept is being debated, even internally. Team principal Fred Vasseur is not always on the same wavelength as his drivers. At the last Grand Prix in Imola, Hamilton spoke of a car that "woke up" at the end of the race.

Worse still, comparisons with the SF-24 are sometimes cruel: at Imola, the latter would have been on average half a second faster per lap than the current single-seater. And while McLaren progressed, Ferrari regressed. The gap to the front is widening, and even teams like Williams are becoming a threat.

In Monaco, the driver can make the difference

With 17 Grands Prix still to go, Ferrari can't afford to give up. A poor performance in Monaco would be even more damaging to morale, especially after the surge of motivation generated by the Imola comeback.

The SF-25 has yet to live up to its ambitions, but Monaco offers a unique opportunity. On this circuit, the driver's talent can still make the difference.