The reason why SF25 performed optimally in Austin was also due to the setup chosen for the sprint race, with a conservative route being selected. However, due to the fact that the most obvious bumps were smoothened out and large parts of the track resurfaced, after the sprint race, they decided to be more courageous and run with a lower ground clearance on the car. The exact opposite happened with the PIA and RUS cars, which increased their ground clearance (many pictures circulating on the internet in this regard), and the results were clear to see.ScuderiaLeo wrote: ↑22 Oct 2025, 21:42@Auto_Racer_it can confirm that for Leclerc, the main intervention in Austin was carried out on the brake-by-wire system, which affects rear braking and is adjusted by the driver via the steering wheel. On Leclerc’s SF-25, modifications were also made to the differential settings to improve the car, particularly in the initial part of the circuit, where there were several fast corners.
- Hamilton’s pace, starting on medium tires, was strong, better than that of Piastri and Russell behind him. Uncertainty from the team, which did not immediately pit Leclerc after Norris’s inevitable overtake, exposed both Scuderia drivers to an unwise battle. AutoRacer confirms that no puncture was detected on the car of the seven-time English world champion, and no anomalies were reported on his SF-25 during routine checks following the race.
- If the performance was convincing, the same can be said for the thermal management of the SF-25. Despite the relatively high temperatures and braking demands of the Austin circuit, the SF-25 did not suffer from particular overheating issues, as had been the case in Singapore. In Austin, there was hardly any mention of Lift and Coast, often used in the past to reduce stress on the brakes. It’s no coincidence that Ferrari achieves good results when there’s no need to manage lift and coast during the race. Partial management was applied minimally to Lewis’s SF-25, particularly due to slightly dirtier air in which the Briton drove, especially in the first stint, and a different setup compared to his teammate.
- In Austin, plank wear could also have been a concern, often a critical point there, as seen with the 2023 disqualification. In this regard, information indicates that both SF-25s were relatively “safe” in terms of skid block wear during checks conducted at the end of the race.
- For the remainder of the season, no decision has been made regarding a potential engine change for Leclerc’s SF-25, which is on its fourth thermal and hybrid engine, which would result in a 10-place penalty. In terms of reliability, Ferrari will equip the SF-25 with an engine cover featuring larger vents to facilitate the expulsion of hot air and improve power unit temperature. This is a simple bodywork adaptation with no aerodynamic purpose, aimed solely at improving the efficiency of heat dissipation, particularly to avoid temperature issues and ensure reliability over the long distances of the Hermanos Rodríguez circuit.
Credit: FerrariF1FRA
In addition, the adoption of the new rear suspension resulted in a loss of mechanical grip, which was further reduced by the lowering of the car's ride height in the race setup, which led to having low grip when exiting low-speed corners in sector 3, hence the poorest results in this sector among the top cars, which will unfortunately will also happen in the last sector of the Mexico circuit.
