Ferrari’s 2025 contender, the SF-25, has accomplished its first laps, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finishing a shakedown at Fiorano.
The shakedown was closed off to media, and formally the Italian workforce was giving nothing away, however the day went with none hitches.
“The SF-25 is an evolution of the SF-24, which gave us a wonderful start line to work from,” mentioned Loic Serra, Technical Director Chassis on Tuesday. “Having mentioned that, we’ve labored onerous, altering 99% of the automobile, evolving its structure to maximise efficiency.
“The pull rod entrance suspension is simply the obvious of many important adjustments,” he added.
“The great factor is that there have been no unhealthy surprises, which is what we have been searching for within the first laps,” admitted Leclerc following his run, in line with Auto Motor und Sport. “No feeling that we didn’t anticipate or numbers that we didn’t anticipate, that was not the case right this moment and that’s the constructive information.
“To transcend that could be very tough for now,” he admitted, “however the feeling was good and the environment was unbelievable.”
“After driving I went to sleep as a result of I bought again from London this morning at 4:30 am and was on monitor for the primary assembly at 7:30 am, so I used to be a bit drained this afternoon,” he was quoted as saying.
“It is utterly totally different,” mentioned Hamilton of his new steed. “I did not anticipate… I assumed, it is one other Components 1 automobile. After I went from McLaren to Mercedes there have been similarities, however I assume it is nonetheless powered by Mercedes, so the sound, the vibration was all the identical, was comparable. While there have been barely totally different traits of automobile, this can be a step, , with the entire thing being utterly totally different. It is a actually thrilling expertise.
“It is too early to know what the 12 months goes to be like,” he admitted. “What we do know is it’ll be very shut between the highest groups. We have not seen the opposite automobiles, we have clearly not been on monitor with all the opposite automobiles.
“To have this workforce all beneath one roof, is sort of a novel expertise that I’ve not had earlier than. To have a monitor exterior the manufacturing facility is sort of unbelievable.
“We all know we’ve an enormous quantity of labor to do. I do know that I’ve an enormous quantity of labor to do. I’ve solely been right here a month, or simply over a month, so I am nonetheless acclimatizing to a totally new automobile, utterly new means of working, however everybody’s bent over backwards on this workforce to make me really feel welcome, and I actually really feel at residence.
“I am precisely the place I am imagined to be. It feels pure, it feels it feels proper.”
“I observed that we’ve a really comparable driving fashion,” mentioned Leclerc of his new teammate, “which is a extremely good factor. It nonetheless must be confirmed as a result of we have not pushed collectively a lot, however from the little I’ve seen, it is that we are likely to drive fairly equally.
“Final 12 months we completed second within the championship and I used to be very dissatisfied,” he added, “so absolutely now the conventional aim is to win. The aim should at all times be to win whenever you drive in crimson. I might positively be dissatisfied if the 2 titles do not come, however we’ll do every part to make it occur.
“I like Ferrari and I wish to win with Ferrari, so to win the title in crimson could be one thing completely unbelievable. I am doing every part to attempt to do it as shortly as doable. I hope that is the best 12 months.
“We have labored very well, not simply me with the coaching, however the entire workforce have been working like loopy.”
The workforce now heads to Bahrain for the pre-season check which will get underway subsequent Wednesday (26).
