Brake administration has been a recurring matter for Ferrari all through the 2025 season. Two most important tendencies have emerged on this space, every linked to totally different phenomena and unrelated to any Brembo materials faults. In Singapore, the Scuderia struggled with disc temperature administration, pushing the raise and coast approach to the acute. Earlier within the season, the first concern had been Lewis Hamilton’s braking difficulties, which now seem much less restrictive.
The origins of raise and coast
At Marina Bay, each Ferrari drivers confronted extreme brake overheating. For Lewis Hamilton, this led to excessive put on on discs and pads, inflicting a drop-off in efficiency throughout the ultimate laps. Charles Leclerc additionally needed to handle his tempo all through the race. The underlying trigger was insufficient brake cooling, with air intakes designed too small in an effort to barely enhance aerodynamic effectivity.
This method is widespread throughout all groups, as former Ferrari engineer Enrico Cardile, now Aston Martin’s Chief Technical Officer, defined earlier than the race: “To handle automobile temperatures, you possibly can open vents on the hood and sidepods to let extra scorching air escape, or use bigger brake ducts, given the variety of heavy braking zones. Each strategies, nonetheless, can compromise aerodynamic effectivity, growing drag and decreasing high velocity. It’s a compromise.”
Qualifying has turn into more and more essential for ultimate outcomes, usually determined by mere hundredths of a second. To achieve even a slight effectivity benefit on Saturday, groups are prepared to handle temperatures throughout the race by lifting off the throttle just a few meters earlier than braking. This technique is one motive for the raise and coast approach, which Ferrari has more and more adopted over the past two seasons, as mirrored in repeated radio messages, although mastery stays partial.
The Singapore case
Marina Bay is traditionally one of the vital difficult tracks for temperatures, not solely as a result of scorching atmosphere but additionally as a result of low common speeds cut back airflow for cooling a system engaged about 20% of the time. Ferrari, nonetheless, suffered uniquely, indicating a transparent misjudgment in cooling selections. Workforce Principal Frederic Vasseur acknowledged after the race, “We skilled overheating not on the primary lap, however from the second or third, and had to make use of raise and coast.” Past the time misplaced from early throttle launch, excessive raise and coast triggered a cascade of points. Drivers lacked clear reference factors and repeatedly adjusted brake stability, making it tough to maintain the tires of their optimum window.
Maranello’s present precedence is knowing what led to this example. It’s evident that manufacturing facility simulations and free observe suggestions didn’t information the workforce towards enough brake cooling. It stays unclear whether or not the SF-25 at Singapore used the brand new entrance ducts launched in Baku, and whether or not these modifications performed a job. Moreover, all groups struggled to warmth entrance tires early in qualifying, usually utilizing brake-generated warmth. This may increasingly have pushed Ferrari to overly aggressive duct selections, costing them within the race.
Hamilton’s braking challenges
Brake administration additionally posed separate challenges for Hamilton in 2025. The British driver initially struggled to adapt to Ferrari’s braking habits as a consequence of a number of elements, together with the SF-25’s dynamic and aerodynamic response beneath braking, and a extra aggressive use of engine braking in comparison with the Mercedes energy unit, which favors rotation in corners however compromises entry stability.
Pedal stiffness additionally performs a job, as drivers have private preferences. Some want an extended pedal journey to modulate braking, others shorter for faster response. For Hamilton, a further issue was acclimatization to Brembo supplies after over a decade with Carbon Industrie, which behave otherwise beneath numerous circumstances.
The seven-time world champion now appears to have discovered his rhythm, adopting a setup path each related and distinct from Leclerc. He additionally appreciated the brand new rear pad compounds developed by Brembo, accessible from Spa, whereas Leclerc had used them since Canada. Hamilton’s earlier braking points had been thus extra about private adaptation, whereas Singapore’s close to retirement stemmed from incorrect cooling calibration. General, Ferrari confronted a twin braking problem in 2025: after seemingly resolving the primary, the workforce now wants to deal with the second.
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