After securing second place within the Constructors’ Championship, simply 14 factors behind McLaren, Ferrari is aiming for each world titles in 2025. With Lewis Hamilton becoming a member of the staff alongside the retained Charles Leclerc, the Scuderia feels able to problem the opposite three high groups in a technical contest that may even mark the final season for ground-effect vehicles earlier than the revolutionary 2026 rules introduce extra agile vehicles.
Frederic Vasseur has admitted that the 677 is not going to share even 1% with the SF-24, which ended the 2024 season with 5 victories: “I belief the venture we’re engaged on. It is going to be one other intense problem just like the one which simply concluded. We noticed this yr that with 4 groups combating for poles and wins, the main points make the distinction: observe situations, temperatures, tires, and strategy. I’m very pleased with how we dealt with difficulties this yr, however we have to take an additional step towards consistency.”
It was anticipated that, with engineers specializing in growing the 2026 vehicles from January 1—ushering in a clear break from the present period—the ultimate season of ground-effect vehicles would see solely developed variations, maybe enhanced, of the 2024 fashions.
Ferrari’s daring choice to utterly redesign its automotive, as a substitute of merely refreshing it, appears to have additionally been pursued by McLaren, Purple Bull, and Mercedes. If this units the tone for 2025, we may very well be in for an thrilling championship. The SF-24 doubtless reached the top of its improvement potential, whereas the brand new automotive begins nearly from scratch with a brand new chassis, a pull-rod entrance suspension, and a shorter gearbox that facilitates a pull-rod rear suspension aimed toward bettering traction and making the automotive extra aggressive in qualifying.
Andrea Stella, talking at Autosprint’s Helmet Awards, revealed that McLaren has adopted an identical strategy: “We took dangers in our design decisions. The strategy to subsequent season can be daring as a result of we intention for innovation. Over the summer season, as we started engaged on the 2025 automotive, we determined we would have liked to make a major leap ahead if we intention to struggle for the drivers’ title. We’d prefer to make the championship a bit much less shut, perhaps not as tight as this yr. However I feel the battle will nonetheless be thrilling, with 4 groups in rivalry.”
Andrea Stella’s remarks naturally embody Purple Bull and Mercedes. Christian Horner, Purple Bull’s staff principal, talked about an RB21 set to debut forward of some opponents. This would be the first automotive for the reason that RB2 with none enter from Adrian Newey, who has moved to Aston Martin.
The brand new automotive ought to have fewer design points than the RB20, which misplaced its technical edge to McLaren and was challenged by Ferrari. Pierre Waché’s staff is working laborious to resolve the issues that affected the Milton Keynes squad within the second half of the season. Some progress was evident with Max Verstappen’s two victories within the closing 4 races. The four-time world champion had clearly said that whereas the problems with the RB20 have been recognized, they required a brand new automotive to be totally addressed.
Those that imagine Adrian Newey’s departure marks the top of Purple Bull’s technical dominance may have to rethink, a minimum of for 2025. Enrico Balbo, Purple Bull’s Italian head of aerodynamics, will implement a much less excessive energy unit cooling system than this yr’s four-stage setup, leading to a automotive that breaks away from the RB20 lineage. The objective is to safe Verstappen’s fifth consecutive world title, proving that Purple Bull can stay resilient regardless of the extreme controversies and challenges confronted in 2024, which included heavy criticism directed at Christian Horner.
And Mercedes? They’re relying on Simone Resta, known as in by technical director James Allison to set issues proper after the W15 solely carried out effectively in particular situations. The Imola-born engineer reunites with the English director, who had beforehand admired his work at Ferrari. It’s doubtless the Silver Arrow can have a brand new look, regardless of Resta initially being assigned to the 2026 automotive venture. Loic Serra’s departure to Ferrari might have shifted some priorities, however Brackley can be betting on a paradigm shift. Which staff can have made the suitable decisions?
Andrea Stella has prophetically remarked that he want to make the championship extra… boring, with a extra pronounced dominance from the papaya vehicles than what was achieved this yr. Nevertheless, the opposite three staff principals disagree. Even Ferrari president John Elkann expects the Scuderia to enhance on their second-place Constructors’ end, misplaced by simply 14 factors. The race seems extensive open…
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