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Ferrari Clarifies SF-25 Ride Height Compromise After Hamilton Comments
Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur has shed more light on the technical compromise Ferrari is grappling with regarding the SF-25, after seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton raised concerns about the car’s ride height.
Following the Japanese Grand Prix qualifying at Suzuka, Hamilton highlighted an issue where Ferrari had to increase the car’s ride height to prevent the plank—or skid-block—underneath from scraping the track. This precautionary measure stems from recent regulatory concerns, particularly after Hamilton himself was disqualified from the 2023 United States Grand Prix due to excessive plank wear, which violated technical rules. Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari suffered the same fate in that race.
Ride height is a critical factor for modern Formula 1 cars, especially those designed under ground-effect regulations introduced in 2022. The lower the car runs to the ground, the more efficient the underfloor aerodynamics become, generating greater downforce and boosting overall performance. However, there is a fine line between optimal performance and regulatory compliance. Teams risk disqualification if the plank shows excessive wear, indicating the car was running too low for too long.
Ferrari currently sits fourth in the Constructors’ Championship with just 35 points, trailing runaway leaders McLaren by 76 points. The team is under pressure to close the gap, and managing ride height is one of the biggest performance-related headaches they face.
Addressing the issue, Vasseur explained that while Ferrari—like all teams—aims to run the car as low as possible for maximum aerodynamic benefit, there’s a constant balancing act between performance and legality.
“Of course, everyone wants to lower the car to gain downforce and improve lap times,” Vasseur said in an interview with media including RacingNews365. “But there’s a limit, and that limit is bottoming out or even breaching technical regulations.”
He emphasized that the ride height dilemma isn’t unique to Ferrari. “This is not about a particular characteristic of the SF-25 or something specific to Ferrari. It’s something every team on the grid is dealing with. It’s been like this for the last couple of seasons.”
Vasseur added that the process of finding the right balance is a weekend-long effort. “You spend Friday and Saturday trying to understand where that limit is—how low you can run without being too low. But if you push it too far, you get penalized, and that’s what happened to us and Mercedes last year in Austin.”
Despite the setbacks, Ferrari remains confident in its technical direction. Vasseur pointed out that the team is in a better place now than it was around the same time last year. “We started the season with similar difficulties in the past. It’s not ideal, of course. We’d rather be fighting for wins than finishing fifth. That’s obvious. But compared to last year, our pace is slightly better, and we’re making progress.”
He praised the team’s resilience and collaborative spirit in overcoming challenges. “What gives me confidence is the team’s reaction. We’ve learned to take small steps and build on each result. That’s how we improve as a unit.”
Ferrari’s strategy going forward is to continue refining the SF-25 while maintaining a close watch on the regulations. With the field more competitive than ever and margins incredibly tight, even a minor compromise like ride height can have significant consequences.
The Scuderia now faces a crucial stretch in the season as they look to turn promising development into consistent race results—all while staying within the bounds of the sport’s strict technical rules.
