Monza Exposes Ferrari's SF-25 Aerodynamic Limitations

Ferrari's home race at Monza, often seen as a prime opportunity for victory, instead highlighted the SF-25's persistent aerodynamic limitations. Red Bull and McLaren ultimately dominated, leaving Ferrari's hopes for a win unfulfilled.

Why it matters:

Monza was a crucial chance for Ferrari to challenge for a win, but the team's performance underscored fundamental design flaws in the SF-25, particularly its aerodynamic load. This could signal ongoing struggles on high-efficiency tracks.

The big picture:

Despite significant straight-line speed advantages, the SF-25 consistently lacked cornering stability and downforce. This weakness was magnified on Monza's high-speed, low-downforce layout, a recurring issue that has plagued Ferrari throughout the season.

The details:

• Qualifying disappointment: Hopes for a home victory were dashed early as the SF-25 lacked the outright pace to contend for pole position.
• Race performance: The Grand Prix was surprisingly linear, exposing the SF-25's significant aerodynamic load deficit compared to its rivals, particularly in the race without the support of new soft tires.
• Cornering deficit: The SF-25 was notably slower in high-speed, technical corners like Ascari and Parabolica, losing up to 10-11 km/h (6-7 mph) to McLaren and Red Bull in these sections.
• Speed imbalance: A 6-7 km/h straight-line speed advantage over McLaren and 3-4 km/h over Red Bull was insufficient to compensate for the time lost through corners, resulting in an average deficit of 2.5 tenths per lap to Piastri and over 4 tenths to Verstappen.
• Tyre management paradox: Ironically, the SF-25's slower cornering speeds generated less strain on its tyres, which inadvertently favored a more gradual pace approach in the final stint and mitigated degradation, a pattern seen previously in Jeddah.
• Setup gamble: Ferrari's decision to run an extremely low-downforce setup was an "all-in" bet to challenge McLaren's all-rounder MCL39. However, the crucial aerodynamic load generated by the underbody and body proved inadequate.
• Persistent issue: This lack of stability and load in high-speed corners is a consistent limitation of the SF-25, which cannot be fully addressed by increasing wing load without sacrificing its straight-line efficiency.

What's next:

Monza served as a stark reminder of the SF-25's design limits. Addressing these fundamental aerodynamic shortcomings will be critical for Ferrari if the team aims to consistently contend for victories, especially on tracks demanding high efficiency and stability.