Ferrari endured their worst result of the 2025 F1 season in normal conditions at the Miami Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton just seventh and eighth.
The only time Leclerc and Hamilton have penned a worse performance so far this year came in round one. But Ferrari had multiple mitigating factors for why the Monegasque and Briton came home in eighth and 10th place in the Australian Grand Prix amid the mixed conditions.
Ferrari could only blame themselves for the Scuderia’s struggles at last weekend’s Miami GP, though. Despite the threat of thunderstorms in Florida, the SF-25 proved to be miles off the pace that McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull and also Williams enjoyed in the hot, dry conditions.
Leclerc ultimately finished the Miami GP a whopping 57.036 seconds behind Oscar Piastri as the McLaren driver scored his fourth win of the 2025 F1 season. Hamilton hit the chequered flag a further 3.15s back after holding off Carlos Sainz of Williams on the last lap of the race.
Ferrari are now working on an ‘unexpected’ suspension change after their Miami GP woes
Also, only Hamilton’s bold strategy secured Ferrari a podium in the Miami Sprint after being one of the first drivers to pit for dry tyres. Their qualifying for the Grand Prix was also a vast disappointment in Miami with Leclerc the lead Ferrari in P8 and Hamilton eliminated in P12.
READ MORE: All you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory
So, according to AutoRacer, Ferrari are now working on a ‘totally unexpected’ change to the rear suspension layout of the SF-25. The Scuderia cannot fathom why their existing design is proving to be so poor, with Maranello bosses unsure if it is due to the anchors or the travel.
Ferrari overhauled the suspension set-up on their 2025 F1 car and moved the aerodynamic balance forwards with a new gearbox and a smaller rear unit. But the Scuderia failed to see the ‘trap’ Ferrari have fallen into, after their simulator data did not highlight any drawbacks.
The team’s simulator data suggested the Maranello natives would only enjoy the benefits by changing their suspension. Yet the SF-25 is especially ‘compromising’ Hamilton and Leclerc in qualifying as Ferrari’s car is unpredictable and is one of their most incomprehensible ever.
Loic Serra is overseeing Ferrari’s shock suspension change alongside their 2026 F1 car
Ferrari do not have a timeline on when Hamilton and Leclerc will receive the team’s upgraded suspension. The Scuderia do not want to rush the change as it is a very delicate task to get it right the second time around, while also splitting resources across their 2025 and 2026 cars.
Technical director Loic Serra is having to oversee two projects simultaneously at Ferrari, with part of their engineering squad striving to fix their SF-25 and others already working on their Project 678 – the code name for Ferrari’s car for the 2026 F1 engine and chassis regulations.
Serra will also be hoping that Project 678 does not fail due to his engineering team, as it has long been said that Ferrari’s 2026 F1 engine should be level with Mercedes’ new power unit. The Silver Arrows are widely expected to be the benchmark under next season’s regulations.
