Ferrari ‘shipwrecked’ as ‘serious problem’ discovered in simu…. read more
Ferrari’s Australian Grand Prix weekend in 2025 was marred by a significant issue with the SF-25 car, which ultimately led to a disappointing performance. According to reports, the team faced a “serious problem” after practice sessions revealed that the car was running in a compromised state, causing the Scuderia’s weekend to unravel. Despite an initially promising start, Ferrari’s drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were unable to secure strong finishes in the race, with Leclerc finishing eighth and Hamilton 10th in a rain-affected race at Albert Park.
The problems for Ferrari began before the race, with qualifying results being below expectations. Leclerc and Hamilton were placed seventh and eighth, behind other drivers such as Yuki Tsunoda in a Racing Bull, who finished fifth, and Alex Albon in a Williams, who placed sixth. This set the tone for a frustrating weekend that only got worse as the team uncovered the underlying issue with their car.
Earlier in the weekend, Ferrari appeared to have some promising moments. Leclerc topped the second practice session, setting the fastest lap ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. However, the team’s initial optimism was short-lived as they encountered difficulties on Saturday and Sunday. A report from the Italian edition of Motorsport.com revealed that the issue stemmed from the simulator work conducted ahead of the Australian GP. Ferrari had made setup decisions based on data gathered from the simulator, but it turned out that the information was flawed. As a result, the SF-25 was running too low to the track’s surface during the Friday practice, which put the car at risk of excessive wear on the skid blocks.
To prevent the risk of disqualification, Ferrari raised the ride height of the car for the remainder of the weekend. However, this adjustment came at a cost, as it significantly affected the car’s aerodynamic performance. Ferrari’s SF-25, which had undergone several concept changes for 2025 in line with the final year of the current technical regulations, was designed with an aggressive aerodynamic map. The team’s ability to maintain a low ride height is crucial in the ground-effect era, as it helps to extract maximum performance from the car. However, keeping the car too low to the track surface risks triggering excessive wear on the skid blocks, a factor that can lead to penalties or disqualification. The problem with Ferrari’s setup meant that they were not able to fully capitalize on the aerodynamic advantages that a lower ride height would have provided.
The team also chose to run a medium-downforce rear wing for the Australian GP, which further complicated their weekend. The rear wing choice was described as a “parachute” due to the significant drag it caused. In contrast, the other leading teams, including Red Bull and McLaren, opted for smaller rear wings, which offered better performance in the specific conditions of the Australian Grand Prix. Ferrari’s decision to stick with the medium-downforce wing only worsened their car’s performance, making it even more difficult for them to compete at the front.
This challenging situation unfolded against the backdrop of a competitive F1 season. McLaren’s Lando Norris clinched the victory in Australia, moving him into the lead of the Drivers’ Championship for the first time in his career. The win was a notable achievement for Norris, who also benefited from a strong overall performance from McLaren. Meanwhile, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who had been dominating the World Championship for nearly three years, lost the lead after a mixed weekend in Melbourne.
Ferrari’s setback in Australia was a clear indication that their car was not performing at its full potential, and the team’s struggles during the weekend were attributed to a combination of factors. The primary issue was the incorrect simulator data that led to a setup that didn’t suit the track, followed by the need to raise the ride height to avoid the risk of disqualification. The aerodynamic performance loss from this change and the poor choice of rear wing only compounded the problems Ferrari faced.
As the F1 season continues, Ferrari will need to address these issues if they are to remain competitive with other teams like Red Bull and McLaren, who have shown strong performances early in the year. The team’s engineers will likely need to reassess their simulator data and adjust their car setup for future races to avoid repeating the mistakes made in Melbourne.
