Despite the drivers’ title race reaching a climax with Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri all in contention, the Formula One headlines continue to be dominated by Ferrari.

Having secured the services of seven times champion Lewis Hamilton for an eye wateringly expensive number of Euros, the Scuderia have suffered their worst season under the leadership of Fred Vasseur.

Lewis Hamilton described his maiden year with the iconic Italian racers as the “worst” in his eighteen year career at the pinnacle of motorsport and come Sunday night in Abu Dhabi he will almost certainly have completed his first year in F1 without a podium finish.

 

 

 

Ferrari had the quickest car six races out in 2024

Yet this season of disappointment was never inevitable, given Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz had the quickest car on the grid across the closing races of 2024. With six race weekends remaining, Ferrari trailed McLaren by 74 points yet such was the pace of the upgraded SF-24 the team and their drivers hunted down the papaya squad to finish just 14 points shy of their first championship since 2008.

Then came the bombshell announcement at the Maranello festive bash. Ferrari had decided in the final year of this set of car design regulations to build a completely new car concept. 

The Italian media representatives in attendance had bellies full of mulled Chianti and and festive roast bird failed to spot this announcement, as Fred Vasseur proclaimed: “We are in the fourth year of applying these regulations and we know our previous project very well. That is why the 2025 car will be completely new.”

Whether this was muttered to a select few behind a glass of prosecco or announced to the room at large, nobody knows, but the stunned silence at TJ13 HQ was reflected in a number opinion based editorials.

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Inexplicable design decision for 2025

In the final year of a set of FIA car design regulations, the F1 teams have explored much of the grey areas and their car designs are morphing towards a similar concept. To start from scratch is madness given much of the learning has already been complete.

The biggest change Ferrari made was to switch the front suspension from a ‘push rod’ configuration to that of a ‘pull rod’ design. So whilst the rest of the field were evolving their 2024 cars for the final year of the ground effect car design regulations, Ferrari decided rot take on a piece of major re-engineering work – all for a single season.

The core challenge is to relocate the internal mounting points for the suspension on the monocoque chassis. The ‘pull rod’ methodology attaches to a low point on the chassis and a high point around the wheel assembly. A push rod is opposite of this and to switch between the two requires a complete redesign of the chassis.

All the previous data on the forces going through the suspension is now useless and the internal packaging of the springs, dampers, rockers and torsion bars must be completely reconfigured.

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Ferrari first to complete 2026 crash test

The primary reason for the switch is to make aerodynamic gains with the altered airflow. But of course this also requires the rest of the car’s aero components – the side pods and front wing in particular – to be re-optimised for there to be any benefit from the suspension shift. Yet with the massive change coming in the 2026 aerodynamics of the new F1 cars, the benefit – if any – of this tremendous amount of effort would be just for one year.

Ferrari realised early win this season they had made a monstrous mistake with their suspension and that without another complete redesign they would not be able to complete with their top four rivals. So the decision was taken to turn off all aerodynamic development of the SF-25 as early as April, although they have continued to tinker with certain mechanical components which may have some carry over effect into 2026.

As the race results have gone fro bad to worse in recent weeks, Fred masseur has made much of the decision to switch Ferrari’s focus so early on to the challenge of 2026. He spoke in the team representatives FIA press conference in Qatar of “underestimating” the psychological impact the would have on the team.

This week, the news from Maranello is that Ferrari have completed their mandatory crash tests of their chassis at CSI’s laboratories in Bollate. This is almost a signpost announcement to point to their early progress on the 2026 car. Its unusual for a team to stage their crash tests this early in the development cycle, most are usually performed in January.

Vasseur blames Pirelli for abject Qatar performance

 

 

 

New suspension AGAIN for Maranello’s 2026 F1 challenger

Of course with the extended 2026 winter testing beginning early in the last week of January, all the teams will perform their crash tests earlier than usual. But Ferrari are first – and are creating the impression they are ahead of the game.

Yet behind the headline, the huge news is that Ferrari are ditching their ill fated pull rod suspension experiment to return to the push rod concept at the front and rear of their 2026 car. Having realised their huge mistake as early as March this season, Ferrari didn’t want to waste any wind tunnel time refining the aerodynamics around the failed pull rod design. Yet there is a further reason the term are switching their suspension design and it is to accommodate a clever innovation pioneered by McLaren, which is to move the steering arm behind the lower wishbone.

This is practically impossible with the failed pull rod suspension design, yet McLaren first delivered this solution back in 2023. Mercedes have since copied it and now Ferrari will do the same, but the high question remains – who was responsible for a wasted year with a crazy decision to build an entirely new car in the final year of the current FIA design regulations???

Wolff slams Verstappen’s finger as “brainless”

 

 

 

The clock is ticking for Vasseur

At the end of the day, it was sanctioned by the Ferrari team boss, who must have been persuaded by his engineers this risky move was worth the gamble. Yet even a novice F1 engineer knows that such a fundamental change in the design of a Formula One car may take two or three cycles to perfect and Ferrari had one remaining.

This week Italian media outlet, Corriere della Sera claims the upper echelons at Ferrari have decided enough is enough. Fred Vasseur has been given one more crack at leading his engineers to deliver a connotative challenger for 2026, and the clock began ticking when the team abandoned their car development in April.

One year means Vasseur is guaranteed five Grand Prix in charge for 2026, and come the Miami Grand Prix at the start of May the decision over who is to lead the team forward will be made. Co-incidentally April is the month when Christian Horner’s gardening leave will expire, so here’s to putting 2+2 together for the next five months and coming up with ???

 

 

 

Schumacher Cadillac talks confirmed and a 2026 future in the USA

In 2026, Mick Schumacher will swap European circuits for the neon lights and high-speed ovals of the American IndyCar series. It’s a bold move for the 26-year-old, who spent the early years of his career navigating the intense pressures of Formula 1. Now, he is venturing into uncharted territory, where the engines roar louder and the culture is more relaxed. The young German has also recently provided an update on his discussions with the fledgling American Formula 1 team, Cadillac F1.

Despite the change of scenery, one of motorsport’s most formidable figures believes that Schumacher is well equipped for the challenge. Helmut Marko, the 82-year-old Red Bull advisor renowned for his keen eye for talent, is confident that Mick’s potential in IndyCar could be nothing short of spectacular…. READ MORE