Ferrari’s 2025 Formula 1 season got off to a rocky start, marked by a disappointing performance at the Melbourne competition – a far cry from the high expectations set for their SF-25 model. The lacklustre race, riddled with driver errors, strategic pitfalls, and subpar race pace, transformed a seemingly promising start into a weekend of frustration. As they navigate this early hurdle, Ferrari remains optimistic that this is just an outlier and not an indication of deep-seated problems.
The precipitous drop in Ferrari’s performance from Friday to Saturday at the Australian Grand Prix was starkly noticeable. Rolling into Australia, Ferrari retained the same aerodynamic setup used in the Bahrain tests, with a focus on adapting the car for wet conditions. However, in comparison to Red Bull, Ferrari’s higher downforce rear wing was evident.
Despite an encouraging start – Ferrari leading Friday’s timesheets with an impressive race pace in FP2 – matters took a turn for the worse as the weekend wore on. Unlike their competitors who made strides in the qualifying rounds, Ferrari remained stagnant. The pursuit of additional downforce emerged as a primary issue, as it left the SF-25 trailing by 5-6 km/h (3-4mph) on the straights (with DRS closed) compared to its rivals.
The situation was further compounded by suboptimal outlaps in Q3 from both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, who struggled to get their tyres into the correct temperature window. This proved especially costly in the slower corners of the final sector, where they lost crucial time against McLaren. An increase in downforce should have improved stability; instead, the car displayed a peculiar mix of understeer on entry and oversteer on exit, suggesting a delicate balance issue possibly linked to tyre preparation and an overly sensitive setup. This could be an ominous sign of the car’s extreme sensitivity to setup changes.
Charles Leclerc, in his post-qualifying debrief, did not mince his words expressing his frustration, stating, “I think we’ve lost relative competitiveness compared to [Friday]. We know what we’ve changed, so we’ll have to look into it for sure.” His remarks hinted at significant setup changes that might have compromised raw performance. Loic Serra, the newly appointed technical director (chassis), who was on-site in Australia, closely scrutinized Ferrari’s operations throughout the weekend.
A key reason behind the loss in competitiveness appears to be an increase in ride height from Friday to Saturday, likely a safety measure to avoid excessive skid wear, a costly problem that led to Ferrari’s disqualification at Austin in 2023. While there is no definitive proof that the SF-25 encountered bouncing issues in Melbourne, the decision to elevate the floor hints at compliance concerns with FIA regulations. The bumps and aggressive kerbs of the Albert Park circuit may have prompted this cautious approach.
As they gear up for Shanghai where the track surface is significantly smoother, Ferrari will be keen to ascertain whether these modifications were a one-off necessity or indicative of a more fundamental sensitivity to setup changes. The upcoming Chinese Grand Prix could offer crucial insights into whether the SF-25 can reclaim its leading position or whether this early-season hiccup signifies a longer-term struggle for dominance.