Ferrari to introduce small updates to the SF-25 suspension at the Japanese Grand Prix to close the gap with McLaren
This weekend, Formula 1 returns to the spotlight with the Japanese Grand Prix, and it will do so for three consecutive weekends, with upcoming races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. This is a crucial juncture for Ferrari, which, after two underwhelming outings, finds itself chasing a McLaren that has been impressive, both in terms of lap time and race performance.
The SF-25 is an ambitious project that, at the moment, isn’t functioning—or rather, isn’t functioning at 100%. There have been moments of competitiveness (like the pole position and Hamilton’s victory in the China Sprint), but it’s still not enough. Therefore, for the third event of the season, Ferrari will introduce the first adjustments to address the tire wear issues.
The much-discussed suspension has sparked a lot of debate (and not in a positive way), which is why, for the Japanese Grand Prix, Ferrari will make changes to the rear suspension springs. Compared to the SF-24, the 2025 cars have rear suspension springs that are wider, risking excessive wear on the car’s floor, as seen in Shanghai, which led to Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification.
Starting from the Japanese Grand Prix, new springs with a more restricted range of motion will be introduced to prevent rapid tire degradation and significant floor wear. As for the first real package of updates, it’s expected to arrive at the following Grand Prix, which will be in Bahrain.