The Baku City Circuit puts a premium on aerodynamic efficiency. The track demands speed, but its tight middle sector and 90-degree corners also require precision. There needs to be a perfect balance between vertical load and top speed. While most teams have opted for low-drag rear wings, Ferrari brought a tweaked version of its Spa specification to Baku.
Why the distinctive approach? The answer is, in a way, simple: a medium downforce specification might hand Ferrari the key to a successful weekend in Azerbaijan.
Ferrari chooses a distinctive approach for the Baku weekend
The Italian team is aiming to secure another pole position, bringing their tally to four, and potentially convert it into a podium or a win. Although fun statistic: no pole sitter has won the race around the Baku street circuit.
Back to business. The top teams, Red Bull, Mercedes, and McLaren, have all opted for a low-drag rear wing, which lends them the top speed on the straights and balances grip through corners. Each team is trying to find a healthy middle ground.
Ferrari is also eyeing the same sweet spot, but they’ve taken a different approach. The Maranello-based team has chosen a higher vertical load than the other top teams. The SF-25 features the Spa rear wing this weekend, with a few adjustments.
❗️ Ferrari brings a Spa-style puzzle rear wing to Baku: the SF-25 features a trimmed flap and squared supports for optimized low-speed grip while maintaining top speed on the long straight ⤵️🏎👇https://t.co/LKUpYovy3O
— Scuderia Fans (@ScuderiaFansF1) September 18, 2025
Ferrari has kept the same main rear wing profile it ran in the Ardennes, but trimmed the DRS flap. There are small cuts on the trailing edge that create a subtle undulating profile. This profile allows Ferrari to operate at a medium downforce level, which lends both speed and rear stability through corners.
Although its downforce is higher than that of the other competitors, the SF-25 has enjoyed remarkable straight-line speed this season. Therefore, slight points of downforce added won’t affect the car’s top speed in any significant way. At the same time, this rear wing avoids excessive sliding, which protects tyre wear over long runs. It’s a clear sign that Ferrari is thinking beyond the Qualifying session.
Ferrari’s medium downforce rear wing in action
After the free practice sessions, both Hamilton and Leclerc appear to be sitting comfortably going into Saturday. Charles Leclerc ran a lower downforce setup than his teammate, which left him dealing with slight rear instability. Even so, the Ferraris looked more composed overall.
Meanwhile, the McLaren duo – clear favourites going into the weekend – have both clipped the wall on corner exits. Clearly showing the trade-off between vertical load and speed.
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Ferrari is targeting the top step of the podium, and its rear wing specification could offer an edge over its rivals. This is a good beginning. But other teams will go to work overnight, looking to extract maximum performance from their own cars.
