The environment was charged with emotion when the chequered flag fell on the season finale in Abu Dhabi on the Yas Marina circuit, with each Ferrari and Mercedes groups experiencing a variety of emotions because the 2024 marketing campaign drew to an in depth.
Lewis Hamilton had simply secured a powerful fourth-place end in what could be his ultimate race in a Mercedes System 1 automotive. As he crossed the road, Martin Brundle famous Lewis Hamilton’s memorable final-lap overtake on George Russell, a becoming conclusion to their three-year partnership, with Hamilton leaving because the crew’s highest factors scorer. In the meantime, Ferrari had a triumphant ultimate outing of the season, with each Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz securing podium finishes.
Regardless of Oscar Piastri’s early spin, McLaren clinched the Constructors’ Championship with Lando Norris’ well-deserved victory, which denied Ferrari their long-awaited first title in 16 years.
Nevertheless, Lewis Hamilton would have been buoyed by the spectacular efficiency of his future crew, Ferrari, over the ultimate months of the season.
Charles Leclerc triumphed within the Italian Grand Prix, holding off McLaren’s tempo benefit, whereas Carlos Sainz’s victory in Mexico Metropolis was arguably probably the most dominant show of his System 1 profession. In line with a report from Italian each day newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, preparations for the 2025 season are already underway at Maranello, and Ferrari could have already perfected one essential facet of subsequent yr’s automotive that Hamilton will tremendously recognize.
Forward of the 2025 season, Ferrari has reportedly perfected the ground of the automotive, a characteristic that will likely be essential to Hamilton’s success.
With solely minimal adjustments to the rules governing the automotive designs from 2024 to 2025, Ferrari’s focus for subsequent yr is extra on evolution than revolution. Workforce principal Frederic Vasseur has confirmed that fewer than one % of the 2025 automotive’s parts will likely be carried over from their 2024 challenger, signaling a refined method to creating the brand new automotive.
Fred Vasseur talked about in a latest interview that the true competitiveness of the automotive would solely be revealed in Bahrain. The French supervisor acknowledged that typically the dangers taken are solely obvious after the actual fact. He additional defined that the automotive could be utterly new, with lower than 1 % of its components shared with the 2024 mannequin. He emphasised that whereas it was a distinct mission, this method utilized to all groups.
In line with the report from Gazzetta dello Sport, Ferrari’s 2025 single-seater is anticipated to characteristic an advanced model of the experimental flooring utilized by Charles Leclerc in Qatar. The outlet means that Ferrari’s engineers have efficiently refined this part, anticipating its integration right into a extra dynamic platform that will likely be much more seamlessly integrated into the crew’s newest aerodynamic idea.
Over the previous yr, it has change into more and more clear that attaining the proper steadiness within the automotive is essential, versus merely maximizing downforce. This understanding is important for Ferrari as they goal to enhance upon their present design.
If the crew can preserve the sturdy efficiency momentum they demonstrated on the finish of the 2024 season, there’s each purpose to imagine that each Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will likely be among the many high contenders for the championship in 2025.
The significance of studying from previous errors, significantly with regard to mid-season updates, was clearly evident all through the 2024 season. The prolonged size of the System 1 calendar supplies groups with ample time and, crucially, a wealth of information to tell their choices relating to automotive growth.
Whereas groups like Aston Martin and Purple Bull launched updates that finally hindered their progress, McLaren stands out as a main instance of a crew that acquired it proper. Workforce principal Andrea Stella made the sensible choice to delay the set up of McLaren’s new flooring, cautious of its potential affect on the efficiency of different groups.
Ferrari, however, launched a big replace in Spain that set them again for a number of races, with many arguing that this explicit package deal value them the title. To keep away from repeating such errors in 2025, Ferrari might want to guarantee they make the proper calls, which might give Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc a real alternative to problem McLaren and Max Verstappen’s dominance.
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