For Ferrari, it’s the identical story once more for now. Spanish GP, spherical 9 of the 2025 System 1 season: nothing new was seen. In accordance with the Prancing Horse, many issues might have modified, particularly regarding McLaren’s benefit. Contemplating the present efficiency of the MCL39, it appears the Woking crew hasn’t been affected within the slightest by the FIA’s TD018 technical directive aimed toward limiting aerodynamic flexibility of the wings.
Ferrari can’t handle understeer
With out drawing conclusions too rapidly, it should even be stated that solely right now’s qualifying session will supply a definitive indication of Ferrari’s end result. We all know very properly the problems confronted by the Maranello automobiles in attaining correct thermal administration of the assorted tyre compounds, particularly in qualifying laps. These difficulties appear to be re-emerging in Barcelona, regardless of the brand new entrance wing fitted to the SF-25.
This replace, which the drivers confirmed as not “too important” in closing the hole to the highest, can however broaden the automobile’s working window—one thing it undoubtedly wants. By way of dealing with, each SF-25 automobiles as soon as once more confirmed understeer. This ends in problem for the drivers to hit the apex, significantly at medium-speed corners.
Nevertheless, this lack of rotation is a normal problem all through the lap. The entrance finish struggles, even contemplating the makes an attempt to shift the general stability ahead in Spain to “ease” the load on the rear tyres, which might in any other case are likely to overheat. Probably the most pressured tyre is the entrance left. In flip 5, which options unfavourable banking, the Ferrari struggles rather a lot to seek out the apex.
Path modifications penalise Ferrari
After all, the identical goes for different automobiles, the place they attempt to “drive round” the nook with out aiming for the inside kerb. Nevertheless, different groups have proven enough rotation to have the ability to carve a a lot tighter line. This reduces the chance of struggling a snap on nook exit when the motive force will get again on the throttle.
The opposite main dealing with problem, stemming from a “weak” entrance finish, is in path modifications. The SF-25 not solely lacks agility but additionally tends to turn out to be unbalanced when it wants to modify the racing line rapidly. That is undoubtedly a weak level, as the motive force is compelled to carry off, leading to important time loss by way of the nook.
Spanish GP, FP2: Charles’ mistake prices in qualifying tempo
Lewis Hamilton acknowledged that the automobile is tough to drive. This implies the crew is as soon as once more attempting a really aggressive setup this season. We’ll solely have affirmation of this later right now. The truth that Ferrari performs properly within the third sector confirms that the rear isn’t working badly in any respect, whereas, as talked about, the entrance is clearly struggling.
This refers particularly to the shortage of front-end load in comparison with McLaren and Purple Bull. Ferrari loses out on nook entry, however the rear places energy down successfully. The hole is telling when trying on the information, although telemetry exhibits a very massive loss on the chicane in turns 7–8. On this part, the SF-25 loses almost three and a half tenths to the front-runners.
That’s why the “actual” hole is likely to be round three tenths, not the 5 tenths proven in FP2. We took an in depth take a look at the telemetry information associated to the second Charles Leclerc misplaced these three and a half tenths. On nook entry, he suffered a powerful and fully surprising oversteer second. A “snap” that wasn’t attributable to any unfavourable attribute of the automobile. On this case, it was clearly a driver error, partly on account of a powerful gust of wind.
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