TECH CORNER: What does Ferrari target with its new suspension layout?

Ferrari are set to run their extremely anticipated new rear suspension at subsequent weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix following a brief take a look at operating at its personal circuit in Mugello. F1Technical’s senior author Balazs Szabo explains what Ferrari goals to realize with its essential in-season improve.

Ferrari have endured a tough begin to their season in 2025. Following a promising efficiency within the second half of the 2024 marketing campaign, the Scuderia had been anticipated to be in rivalry for the championship titles.

Nonetheless, the Italian workforce struggled to struggle for the rostrum locations originally of the season, having did not match the efficiency ranges dictated by the field-leading McLaren outfit. In actual fact, Purple Bull and Mercedes additionally clearly appeared a step forward of Ferrari.

The Maranello-based workforce shortly realized its technical points. Nonetheless, the Italian squad has been to this point unable to resolve the longstanding points associated to controlling the automobile’s experience top and platform stability.

It was already obvious in the course of the Bahrain pre-season testing when Charles Lelcerc and Lewis Hamilton struggled to take care of the identical line in the identical nook on consequent laps.

The problems then worsened on the second race of the season at Shanghai when each Leclerc and Hamilton have been disqualified. The seven-time world champion misplaced his race outcome as a result of extreme put on on the underfloor plank of his SF-25.

Throughout the first a part of the season, Ferrari’s SF-25 has excelled in high-speed corners, produced encouraging prime speeds, was robust over the excessive kerbs, nevertheless it did not match the traction of its rival vehicles.

The latter was notably obvious on the Jeddah Corniche Circuit the place Leclerc and Hamilton misplaced round three tenths of a second on the exit of the gradual Flip 2. Apparently, the difficulty is extra obvious in low-fuel configuration whereas it turns into much less of a problem in high-fuel mode.

Contemplating this challenge, it’s not stunning that Ferrari refused to supply upgrades at a quick fee within the opening levels of the season because the workforce was keen to seek out the foundation reason for the issue earlier than introducing any options.

The technical division led by former Mercedes man Loic Serra had deliberate two key upgrades for the center a part of the season which could be Ferrari’s final vital growth given the truth that the 2026 F1 season will see Method One introduce an all-new technical regulation.

Step one was a heavily-upgraded ground that the Scuderia revealed on the Austrian Grand Prix.

This marked the third time Ferrari confirmed off a brand new ground in 2025. The Scuderia made tweaks to the preliminary ground design at Bahrain. Since then, the Maranello-based outfit introduced solely refined aerodynamic adjustments to the SF-25, with essentially the most vital upgrades having been a brake duct design and a brand new entrance wing at Imola and Barcelona respectively.

Concerning the most recent ground design, essentially the most seen change centered across the ground fences. The fence profiles have been redistributed, with the outer fence having acquired a totally new form.

Though it was much less seen, the ground physique has additionally gone by way of an entire revision. Ferrari defined that the ground physique has acquired a reshaped boat and tunnel enlargement.

On the again finish of the ground, the diffuser has additionally been tweaked. The Scuderia famous that the world the place the underfloor airflow expands essentially the most, has been redesigned and now contains a completely different diffuser quantity.

As well as, the ground edge has additionally been redesigned. The entrance part of the ground edge wing has been re-cambered and is now shorter than the earlier model.

The Scuderia didn’t convey any upgrades to Silverstone, however it’s anticipated to debut a closely redesigned rear suspension configuration at subsequent weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.

Given the quantity of the event, the Maranello-based outfit was wanting to check out the brand new resolution earlier than it hits the observe at Spa-Francorchamps.

In latest seasons, groups have been normally reluctant to make mechanical tweaks to the suspension of their vehicles in the course of the season given the tight nature of the F1 calendar and the dearth of in-season testing alternatives.

Nonetheless, Mercedes additionally made vital adjustments to the rear suspension of its automobile this 12 months, introducing the improve in two steps. The Brackley-based outfit tried out the brand new resolution in the course of the Friday’s free apply periods at Imola, nevertheless it waited till the Canadian Grand Prix to make use of it in race circumstances.

As for Ferrari, the Italian workforce hosted a two-day take a look at programme at its personal observe in Mugello. The opening day of the take a look at noticed Zhou Guanyu, Antonio Fuoco and Antonio Giovinazzi drive the two-year-old SF-23.

The second day noticed Leclerc and Hamilton pilot the modified SF-25 that featured a brand new suspension format. The Monegasque drove the automobile within the morning earlier than the Briton took over the driving duties within the afternoon.

The main focus of the 200km of operating was to assemble data and to get an early really feel for rear suspension modifications that the workforce has been engaged on for a number of months.

Ferrari have been permitted to make use of the SF-25 below the guise of a filming day. Article 10.4 of the Sporting Laws said that groups may perform a most of two days of operating for “purely for advertising and marketing or promotional functions.”

These promotional occasions should not exceed 200km and just one could also be carried out per workforce per day. Throughout these runs, vehicles have to be fitted with the FIA ECU required by Article 8.3 of the Technical Laws. As well as, solely tyres manufactured particularly for this goal by the appointed tyre provider could also be used.

Ferrari have already used at some point of promotional occasion in February, which signifies that the Scuderia has now used up its complete allocation for the present season.

The purpose of the take a look at on the Tuscan observe was to gather knowledge on the brand new suspension and to seek out the setup the workforce can extract essentially the most from the SF-25 concerning the aero-mechanical interplay of the brand new setup.

Leclerc racked up a complete of 19 laps within the morning earlier than Hamilton accomplished the identical distance with the brand new design that contains a reworked wishbone mounting level to the gearbox.

Ferrari hope that the refined rear suspension will enhance the experience top administration to cut back squat and enhance floor clearance management, enhancing the SF-25’s aerodynamic effectivity.

Groups are required to submit seen adjustments to the vehicles forward of every race weekend, however they don’t have to reveal any adjustments which might be hidden. It signifies that Ferrari won’t share any particulars concerning the mechanical adjustments after they submit the upgrades at subsequent weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.

Nonetheless, the photographs by Andrea Galante reveals that the Scuderia has additionally carried out aerodynamic tweaks to the rear suspension because the repositioned arms have an effect on the fluid dynamics.

F1earlier