Ferrari technical director of chassis Loic Serra isn’t worried about finding ways to reinforce the SF-25’s front wing ahead of the implementation of TD018 as the Scuderia’s development plan allows time to design a new one.

The FIA informed the teams in late January that a revised technical directive, TD018, would come into effect from the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix onwards.

Ferrari unfazed by updated TD018

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

The technical director relates to flexi wings with the FIA having sought to establish the facts after concerns were raised last year that some teams wings exceeded the permissible levels of flexibility.

This led to motorsport’s governing body revising the guidelines by not only reducing the permitted level of flex reduced from 15mm of movement to 10mm but also introducing more stringent testing.

“Following further analysis carried out by the FIA Single Seater Department after the conclusion of the 2024 season, we are committed to ensure that bodywork flexibility is no longer a point of contention for the 2025 season,” an FIA spokesperson told PlanetF1.com.

“As part of this effort, we will be increasing the scope of rear wing tests from the start of the 2025 season, and additional front wing tests being introduced from the Spanish GP. This phased approach allows teams to adapt without the need to discard existing components unnecessarily.

“These adjustments are aimed at further refining our ability to monitor and enforce bodywork flexibility regulations, ensuring a level playing field for all competitors to promote fair and exciting racing.”

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The timing of the official update of TD018 meant the teams had already designed their 2025 cars with the wings adhering to the previous 15mm flex.

It begs the question can the teams simply reinforce their early 2025 designs?

“But you don’t really have to do that,” Serra explained to the media including PlanetF1.com at the team’s recent car launch.

“Effectively in your development programme, you’ve got front wing that is part of the development. So you just have to think of the structural aspect of the front wing with the new regulation.”

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur also isn’t concern about the updated TD018 as Barcelona is a good circuit to introduce upgrades.

“For me, it’s not an issue,” said the Frenchman. “I think it’s good to have clarity. The most important for me is to know that we have to change something on the front wing by Barcelona, for example.

“You can discuss about the timing, because it’s the week after Monaco, and we need to come to Monaco with a full package of front wing. But at the end of the day, it’s good for us – it’s good for the development and the planification to know when we have to bring something.

“The worst case scenario would have [been] to start the season like we are today and in two or three races, to come with a TD to change something, because it’s much more difficult to plan. And in this case, it would have been a mess.

“But honestly, we all know the situation. We were all planning to bring an upgrade on the front wing during the season, but like this we know that we’ll have to do it by Barcelona.”

PlanetF1.com understands that the FIA already informally let the teams know about the potential introduction of the new technical directive guidelines in late November 2024, with the governing body working on the “ongoing” issue throughout the winter.

The teams were not, as some have claimed, blindsided by the updated technical directive.

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