With pre-season testing done and dusted, there are a few teams that stood out with their performances and a few that surround themselves in mystery. The top 4 teams, McLaren, Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes, are expected to not show the true potential of the car until the season opener at Melbourne. However, Christian Horner saw something peculiar in the Ferrari.
In 2024, Ferrari finished 2nd in the Constructors’ standings, and this year, they have the most successful driver in F1 history joining the Scuderia. Hence, there are a lot of expectations on the team. Red Bull’s team principal, Christian Horner, has spotted something on the Ferrari SF-25 which could be a game changer this year.
Christian Horner thinks Ferrari’s SF-25 stands out on the grid
Back in 2022, the FIA introduced major changes in the F1 technical regulations, which completely changed the car. Since then, all 10 teams have experimented with different designs to see what works best. But for this year, all the teams have gone with a design that is similar across the grid, except for one team.
“I think that into this cycle of regulations, it’s clear that the cars have converged, and they look very, very similar,” Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner said.
“I think probably Ferrari is a standout as probably being a differentiator.”
Lewis Hamilton Backs Ferrari Title Hopes After First SF-25 Experience
Most of the F1 teams have decided not to experiment with their car designs for one reason: the 2026 technical regulation changes. If the teams experiment on their designs for this year, they will have to spend significant resources on designing and manufacturing each car part. In doing so, they will have to compromise the development of their 2026 challenger, which would, in turn, have long-term consequences.
However, Ferrari has elected to continue experimenting with their designs for the SF-25. If they get it right, they could win the title, but in turn, they might have just compromised the future of the team in the next cycle of technical regulations.
Did Ferrari Sandbag the SF-25 in Bahrain Pre-Season Testing?
It is completely normal for most of the F1 teams not to show all of their secrets during pre-season testing. If they do so, they risk exposing their designs to the other teams before the season even starts. This will give the competitors time to copy designs and inspire new ones.
Although there is no way of knowing for sure, it is likely that Ferrari did Sandbag the SF-25 last week during the Pre-Season testing at Bahrain. However, they were most definitely not the only ones. We can be certain that other teams, including Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes, also used Sandbags to hide the full potential of the car.
How Many F1 Teams Were Sandbagging in 2025 Pre-Season Testing?
This season could be one of the most interesting in F1’s recent history. There are a lot of variables in play, and only one team can come out on top at the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Who do you think will win the Constructor’s Championship this year? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.
