Ferrari could switch to Red Bull’s F1 chassis concept upon Hamilton’s arrival

And in particular, one could finally take the path that world champion Red Bull has already successfully used with its pullrod concept on the front axle.

Ferrari has already made significant progress with its SF-24 this year, winning races and now finding itself at the centre of a three-way battle with Red Bull and McLaren, which could still be about the title.

But as teams push ever closer to the limits of what is possible under the current rulebook, it becomes increasingly difficult to find the advantages that can make the difference in the battle for success.

A comprehensive development package that the team brought to the Imola Grand Prix delivered some good progress, while the next aero package is scheduled for the British GP – it was originally planned for Hungary.

Meanwhile, two more rear wings are coming, after the high-performance rear wing used in Monaco. There will be a low-drag version in Canada and then one best suited to the medium-speed tracks in Spain.

But the way Ferrari approaches improvements is changing: team boss Fred Vasseur admitted this week that progress is much harder to achieve.

“With the cost cap and the current regulation, you have to keep an eye on both sides and we will introduce upgrades when we have something to offer,” he said.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

“You have to remember that there is a kind of performance convergence and the development rate is much lower than it was two years ago. That means that every time someone brings an upgrade – and I think this is true for us, but this is true for everyone – the profit is less than it was two years ago, and that’s normal.”

Diminishing returns and Ferrari’s desire not to take full advantage of the team’s current momentum have led to speculation that Ferrari may be willing to be more aggressive with changes to its 2025 car than might have been expected months ago.

Work on next year’s challenger has already begun, with Vasseur saying there are three projects currently underway in Maranello.

“One part of the team is working on the next updates that we will see this season and another is already focused on next year’s single-seater,” he said. “We have already given the green light for the 2025 car. In addition, work on the 2026 powertrain started some time ago. In terms of chassis and aerodynamics, we can guess some concepts, but nothing more, since there are no regulations yet.”

Speculation about the 2025 car suggests that Ferrari may be willing to make some big changes rather than opting for a direct evolution of the SF-24 to avoid wasting resources on the 2026 rules.

According to sources, Ferrari designers have identified some important aspects that would benefit the 2025 car and could make a big difference in the close battle with Red Bull and McLaren.

What’s interesting is that Ferrari could be on the verge of switching to a pullrod front suspension after years of doing its own thing. The company wants to get a head start on this, considering the switch will likely happen in 2026 anyway.

Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Red Bull and McLaren already have this configuration. The design offers clear aerodynamic advantages through improved air circulation at the front of the car and especially for the venturi tunnels underneath.

Such a suspension overhaul would require a completely new chassis, as new mountings for the suspension arms and movement of the internal mechanisms would be required.

Any decision to change the suspension could also open up the possibility of changing the driver position, which in turn could help improve weight distribution as the team looks to make improvements in every possible area.

Ferrari’s potential switch to a Red Bull-style front suspension comes as the team continues to try to bring Adrian Newey on board to help develop the 2026 car once he is released from his current contract early next year.

This year, Ferrari is the only one using a pullrod rear suspension (customer team Haas also takes its parts), but is convinced that the pushrod concept used by other teams does not bring any significant advantages in this area of ​​the car.

When asked earlier this year why they had not followed other teams’ lead, Ferrari’s technical director Enrico Cardile said: “To name just one team, our rear suspension is slightly different to Red Bull’s in terms of the upper and lower wishbone distribution.”

“We got good aerodynamic results by going in that direction and when we switched from pullrod to pushrod we didn’t measure a big advantage that would have justified compromises in weight or compliance. From then on we evolved our suspension and kept the same layout.”