Ferrari F1: the SF25 doesn't work, the problem is identified, difficult to correct and awaiting further development

After Miami, it's time for a wake-up call. The Grand Prix of Formula 1 of Florida may have been the definitive indicator of a deeper malaise in the Scuderia Ferrari. The double top 8 finish by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, far behind the competition, only served to accentuate the malaise already palpable since the start of the season. And if Fred Vasseur has raised his voice, going so far as to speak of a "total reset" for the Barcelona Grand Prix, it's because the problem is now clear... but its resolution promises to be complex.

The problem: rear suspension, not just aero

For several weeks now, the focus has been on aerodynamics and changes to the regulations, in particular the flexible fins. In Maranello, however, the SF-25's real Achilles' heel lies elsewhere: the rear suspension.

The defect was identified as early as March. In Melbourne and then Shanghai, the Ferrari proved to be unstable and unpredictable, wearing out its flat bottom excessively. The result was Hamilton's disqualification and growing concern about the car's design. According to the news, the SF-25's flat-bottom and pull-rod rear suspension suffer from a lack of rigidity.

In concrete terms, the engineers were unable to exploit the optimum settings to make the whole thing work. Body heights are poorly managed, aerodynamic downforce collapses during the race, and the car fails to stand up to comparison with McLaren or Red Bull.

An evolution is planned... but without a date

The observation is harsh, but shared by several sources, including the Italian media AutoRacer: the SF-25 has a potential that was detected in the simulator, but cannot be used on the runway. Why? Because "the car is running with inefficient mechanical settings". The heart of the problem: the rear suspension doesn't work as intended. And the only solution is radical: introduce a new rear suspension.

This is precisely what Ferrari is planning. The project has been launched, the parts are being designed or tested, but the timetable is unclear. This is not an insignificant change: it's a thorough overhaul of a key component, in the middle of the season, requiring simulator validation, manufacturing, track testing... and, above all, the right moment to introduce it without jeopardizing reliability.

Hope for an "Imola effect", but no certainties

In the meantime, the team is trying to keep up appearances. A new background is expected at Imola, and adjustments to the front wing flexibility regulation could benefit Ferrari. Fred Vasseur plays the "reset" card for Barcelona. But in reality, the problem identified in March will not be solved by then.

So it's a shaky, unstable SF-25 that Leclerc and Hamilton will have to continue piloting over the coming weeks. And the internal tensions are beginning to show. In Miami, radio exchanges between Hamilton and his engineerand then his pressure tactics in private with Vasseur, highlighted the beginning of a rift between the "dream team" of drivers and the technical team. Leclerc, for his part, seems resigned.

Maranello under stress, Vasseur under pressure

In Barcelona, if the new parts don't change anything, then the "reset" could go far beyond the technical aspect. Fred Vasseur himself is well aware that Ferrari could be forced to review its entire organization chart and its 2026 strategy this summer if it procrastinates too long.

Loïc Serra, who arrived to restore order to the technical department, is already under pressure. The winter's evaluation errors could leave deep scars. Ferrari must now act quickly, and well, if it is not to spoil an entire season.