Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has confirmed that the Scuderia’s next major upgrade package for its SF-25 is set to arrive at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola next month.
The update is aimed squarely at addressing the car’s glaring weakness in qualifying – a shortcoming that continues to compromise race-day potential.
Despite Charles Leclerc’s impressive podium drive in Saudi Arabia, the Italian outfit is fully aware that its current package is falling short of expectations.
The SF-25 has shown decent race pace, but the machine’s inability to maximize performance over a single lap has left Ferrari vulnerable on Saturdays and playing catch-up on Sundays.
After a promising winter and a strong showing in race trim this season, Ferrari’s achilles’ heel has become clear: one-lap performance. Leclerc himself flagged this issue following the opening rounds, and in Jeddah, Vasseur didn’t shy away from the topic either.
“If we are not further ahead it is because of qualifying, that is clear,” Vasseur said. “The pace has always been very good in the race. We need to be more consistent over the whole weekend, in all sessions, and do a better job.
“Clearly we have weaknesses, I think especially in qualifying.”
But the Frenchman is confident that Ferrari’s engineering team has begun to pinpoint the core issues that are holding the car back – and now it's all about execution.
“We have to be honest with ourselves and analyse the situation,” he continued. “When you understand where the problems are, you can work to solve them and we think we have understood where to intervene.
“We keep the same approach as last year and think race by race.”
That pragmatic, step-by-step approach led to solid progress in 2024, and Ferrari is hoping for a similar trajectory in 2025.
The latest updates will follow the revised floor that was introduced in Bahrain and are expected to build on that foundation.
With the Sprint format set to return for the Miami Grand Prix, Vasseur ruled out the possibility of fast-tracking the upgrade package to the U.S. race.
Instead, Ferrari is targeting Imola for the rollout, where a more traditional weekend format offers ample time for setup and data collection.
“Miami, there is the Sprint race and little time to work; we will probably bring updates to Imola,” Vasseur confirmed.
The decision reflects a strategic call to ensure the upgrades are implemented under optimal conditions. Sprint weekends allow only one practice session before parc fermé rules lock in setup, making it a risky venue to debut major changes.
Despite the early-season setback – including the costly double disqualification in China – Vasseur remains positive about Ferrari’s direction and the underlying potential of the SF-25.
“We are still paying for the points lost in China compared to the others,” he acknowledged. “We have to look to the future, we push together and the results will come.”
With the European leg of the season just around the corner, Ferrari fans will be hoping Imola marks the turning point in a campaign that still holds promise – if the Scuderia can finally unlock the full performance of its red machine.
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