Uncovered: What the Data Reveals About Ferrari’s SF-25 Upgrades in Imola
Ferrari entered the Imola Grand Prix weekend with high hopes, unveiling a significant upgrade package for the SF-25 in front of their passionate home crowd. However, the opening sessions of their first home race of the season didn’t deliver the strong start many had anticipated.
The upgrades, aimed at improving aerodynamic efficiency and enhancing cornering speed, included revised sidepods, a reshaped floor, and a modified rear wing. On paper, these updates were expected to bring the car closer to Red Bull and McLaren in terms of race pace. But Friday’s data painted a mixed picture.
During FP1 and FP2, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc struggled to extract consistent performance. Although the SF-25 showed brief moments of promise in low-fuel runs, long-run pace appeared inconsistent, particularly through sector two, where Ferrari seemed to lose valuable tenths compared to their main rivals. GPS traces revealed that while Ferrari had improved top-end speed, the SF-25 lacked stability under braking and mid-corner grip—an area where Red Bull continues to dominate.
Telemetry also showed signs of the drivers needing to correct mid-corner more frequently than before, suggesting the new floor design may not yet be fully optimized for the current track characteristics. Ferrari engineers believe the updates hold potential, but extracting that potential may take more time and fine-tuning.
The Imola crowd remains hopeful, and Ferrari still has the rest of the weekend to turn things around. But for now, the data indicates that while the SF-25’s upgrades are a step in the right direction, they are not the game-changer many were hoping for.
Check the comments for a deeper dive into the sector breakdowns and driver feedback!