The SF-25 captured everybody’s consideration on the night of February 18—regardless of the continuing F1 75 Dwell occasion at London’s O2 Area, the place all of the groups unveiled their 2025 liveries—and once more yesterday when it hit the observe for the primary time, with Charles Leclerc taking the wheel earlier than Lewis Hamilton had his flip at Fiorano.
In response to technical director Loic Serra, the brand new Ferrari is an evolution of the already stable SF-24. Nonetheless, as we all know, engine improvement has been frozen since 2022.
Enrico Gualtieri, head of Ferrari’s energy unit division, defined how his staff has labored to make small but significant enhancements in efficiency and reliability whereas additionally helping the aerodynamics division in enhancing effectivity.
“Engine improvement has been frozen since 2022, which means we can’t change any {hardware} or introduce new elements throughout the energy unit,” Enrico Gualtieri advised in a latest interview for the Italian web site Automoto. “That doesn’t imply we will’t optimize what we have already got. We’ve labored arduous and at last managed to refine our methods to higher combine our PU into our operations, notably throughout all points of a race weekend, to maximise each efficiency benefit. In fact, nothing groundbreaking—particularly in comparison with what we may obtain when improvement time was limitless. We’ve merely regained the efficiency potential we misplaced final 12 months, which can make the grid much more aggressive.”
“For the primary time, we didn’t have to depend on auxiliary elements however as a substitute targeted on integrating the ability unit seamlessly with the brand new automobile. In actuality, we had already achieved a correct match by the tip of 2022. Our design selections have been primarily geared toward giving the aerodynamics staff full freedom by occupying as little house as potential throughout the automobile’s structure. We’ve been working with this energy unit for ten years now—an extremely lengthy journey. It started in 2014, although issues didn’t go as we had hoped. Nonetheless, it was a useful studying expertise that supplied new alternatives. Crucial factor is that we’ve gained expertise, and ultimately, we made vital progress.”
This 12 months, Ferrari faces a twin problem: growing the SF-25 with the hope of preventing for the title till the ultimate race whereas additionally engaged on the 2026 automobile, which will likely be constructed underneath the brand new technical laws set to take impact on January 1 subsequent 12 months.
“We’re totally targeted on launching the 2025 automobile and managing the complete season. That stated, 2026 is getting nearer, so this 12 months will likely be crucial and very demanding in that regard. The easiest way to be ready is to work on it whereas retaining our present season’s targets in sight. Within the coming weeks, we are going to dive deeper into growing the ability unit for the following regulatory cycle.”
Naturally, Enrico Gualtieri additionally addressed the arrival of Lewis Hamilton and his preliminary impressions of the Ferrari engine. Whereas he didn’t disclose any particular particulars, he confirmed that Ferrari sought suggestions from the seven-time world champion, evaluating his expertise with the Ferrari V6 to the Mercedes energy models he used for years.
“We had discussions with him, in fact. We’re extra fascinated with his total really feel for our engine slightly than making direct comparisons. However sure, his enter has been extremely precious. Drivers are, in a method, our most superior sensor within the automobile—typically much more exact than bodily sensors. His suggestions has been fascinating and very useful in understanding how he perceives our engine. He has been very engaged within the discussions, and his involvement in adapting to the Ferrari energy unit has been significantly useful.”
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