The Ferrari Formula 1 squad is making use of an allotted filming day at Mugello on Wednesday where both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will run the revised SF-25.
A new rear suspension will be in place for the 200km of running the team is allocated for a commercial shoot, as Ferrari discovers whether it can look ahead to the second half of the season with more positivity.
It follows the floor upgrades which heralded improved performance at both the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone, with focus now set to shift to the 2026 ruleset with the raft of regulation changes that will see agile, shorter, narrower, and lighter cars.
The test at Mugello has been scheduled before all the material for the Belgian Grand Prix needs to be shipped to Spa-Francorchamps and will allow data for the new-look suspension to be collated ahead of the 13th round of the 2025 campaign on 25-27 July.
Until the new rear suspension was built, it wasn’t possible to send the SF-25 to dynamic testing, even though it had already been carefully evaluated with CFD. The challenge was lowering the front wishbone of the upper wishbone, finding a point of attachment to the gearbox that could withstand the loads.
The gearbox of the Ferrari SF-25
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
The transmission’s outer casing is made of composite materials to save weight and achieve the most miniaturised shape possible walls, with minimal thickness and ribs designed, while where the suspension arms are to be anchored, attachments are designed that can withstand the stresses generated by a tie rod suspension.
The simulation results were positive, but Ferrari will be hoping that Wednesday’s filming activity will confirm the same indications on track, combining the numbers with the drivers’ feedback. The new suspension should make the SF-25 less sensitive to ride height, opening up useful set-up options to improve the operating window of the Pirelli tyres.
A combined action of the floor and the suspension could be worth almost a tenth of a second and, if the data collected so far are confirmed, Ferrari can aim to defend second place in the constructors’ championship with McLaren running away out front, 238 points clear of the Scuderia.
The rear suspension will be modified in the front upper arm
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Ferrari, so far, has never been in a position to exploit opportunities because it has never been the closest pursuer of the MCL39s. Nico Hulkenberg’s podium with Sauber at Silverstone proves this with Hamilton unable to chase the German, his Ferrari having serious set-up difficulties on a damp Silverstone track.
Both Hamilton and Leclerc have spoken about upgrades but now the talking will stop and the running at Mugello will have to decide whether they can at least aspire to a win this season, something which McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes have all achieved at this stage.
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