Fred Vasseur pushes Ferrari to behave on urgent Components 1 downside
Ferrari group principal Fred Vasseur has admitted that resolving the persistent elevate and coast downside affecting the group’s efficiency is now an pressing precedence following a disappointing weekend on the Singapore Grand Prix. The problem, which has repeatedly restricted each Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton all through the 2025 Components 1 season, as soon as once more proved expensive for the Maranello-based group on the Marina Bay Circuit.
Through the race, Leclerc was as soon as once more instructed to elevate and coast — a gasoline and brake administration method the place drivers elevate off the throttle properly earlier than getting into a nook to cut back warmth and stress on the braking system. Whereas generally utilized in small doses throughout a race, Ferrari’s frequent reliance on it has raised questions in regards to the automotive’s brake cooling and effectivity. The Monegasque driver has needed to apply this methodology in a number of Grands Prix this 12 months, signalling a deeper mechanical or aerodynamic imbalance inside the SF-25.
Vasseur acknowledged that the difficulty had turn into a critical efficiency constraint, stressing that Ferrari couldn’t realistically battle on the entrance until the issue was solved instantly. The Frenchman made it clear that the group’s hopes of securing second place within the Constructors’ Championship rely upon fixing the recurring brake administration difficulties which have undermined their race tempo since mid-season.
In keeping with reviews from RacingNews365 and different Components 1 shops, Vasseur instructed the media that the group’s engineers have been already investigating the reason for the issue, recognising that persevering with to run on this situation would make it not possible to compete for podiums. He defined that addressing the braking efficiency and warmth administration of the SF-25 was now a race-against-time precedence earlier than the subsequent Grand Prix, hinting that with out a swift resolution, Ferrari’s season may proceed to unravel.
The Singapore Grand Prix resulted in disappointment for each Ferrari drivers. Charles Leclerc may handle solely sixth place after being compelled to preserve his brakes all through the race, whereas Lewis Hamilton suffered a late brake failure that dropped him to eighth within the remaining classification. The consequence marked a stark distinction to Ferrari’s triumph on the similar circuit simply two years earlier, when the Scuderia celebrated victory below the Marina Bay lights.
When analysing Ferrari’s race tempo in comparison with front-runners equivalent to Crimson Bull and McLaren, Fred Vasseur admitted that it was troublesome to make a direct comparability. He famous that whereas Leclerc initially managed to remain inside hanging distance of the leaders, the necessity to instantly make use of elevate and coast methods from the early laps compromised their efficiency window. As soon as these directions started, Ferrari misplaced consistency in braking efficiency and nook entry steadiness — elements that immediately influenced lap time and tyre put on.
Fred Vasseur elaborated that the unpredictable braking zones compelled Leclerc to repeatedly adapt his driving fashion all through the race. The various brake steadiness — switching between entrance and rear to compensate for overheating — disrupted the automotive’s rhythm and made it not possible for the motive force to assault corners confidently. This fixed adjustment, he defined, not solely prices time down the straights but in addition disturbs total race move and prevents the motive force from discovering a secure working window.
Technical sources near Ferrari recommend that the difficulty might stem from the SF-25’s compact brake disc design, which was developed to enhance aerodynamic move across the entrance suspension and wheel meeting. Whereas useful when it comes to lowering drag and enhancing airflow effectivity, this smaller brake setup has left the group susceptible on circuits that demand excessive braking power, equivalent to Singapore and Monza. Mixed with excessive humidity and warmth in Marina Bay, the cooling limitations possible pushed the system past its protected threshold.
Ferrari engineers at the moment are anticipated to deliver new brake duct configurations and revised cooling components to the subsequent races in Austin and Mexico in an try to regain management over temperature administration. The group can be finding out information from Lewis Hamilton’s late-race failure, as the difficulty may level to a broader reliability concern that extends past warmth and put on — presumably affecting hydraulic strain and brake-by-wire efficiency.
As Ferrari prepares for the remaining rounds of the 2025 Components 1 season, Fred Vasseur’s demand for swift corrective measures underlines how essential it’s for the group to stabilise its technical package deal earlier than the laws reset in 2026. For Leclerc and Hamilton, the aim can be to regain the arrogance to push the SF-25 nearer to its limits with out the fixed shadow of brake administration methods undermining their race tempo.
After Singapore, the overall sentiment in Maranello is evident — Ferrari can’t afford one other weekend dictated by elevate and coast directions. If the difficulty persists, the group dangers falling additional behind Mercedes within the standings, a state of affairs that might intensify scrutiny on Vasseur’s management throughout a season already filled with missed alternatives.






