Loic Serra and Jerome D’Ambrosio are active in Maranello: the first as technical manager and the second in the role of vice team principal. The Cavallino management pyramid took shape on 1 October according to the scheme built by Fred Vasseur who, despite choosing French-speaking figures at his side, bets on the continuity of the work that the “Italians” group is carrying out.
Loic Serra and Jerome d’Ambrosio are the two new Ferrari signings who joined the Racing Department on 1 October
Photo by: Ferrari
The entrance of the two new faces was very soft, without any fanfare, according to the very sober style set by Vasseur who loves a low profile and avoids excessive protagonism. The Racing Department is very busy deciding on the solutions that will make up the package of updates for the United States GP, following the positive indications that have emerged from the simulation data.
In Austin we will not only see the more flexible flap of the front wing, but there will be other interventions useful to improve the balance of the SF-24. Ferrari is experiencing a strategic moment for defining its future: the Scuderia aims to catch Red Bull in second place in the Constructors’ World Championship and plans to take advantage of the latest innovations to grow just enough to be McLaren’s priority challenger in the last quarter of a very spectacular and hard-fought season.
The “Italians” are completing the definition of the 677, the 2025 single-seater for the last year with ground effect single-seaters. In Maranello they have the ambition to close the regulatory cycle that began in 2022 with the ambition of aiming high, although they are aware that the Woking team has acquired an advantage over the course of the season.
Detail of the gearbox of the Ferrari SF-24
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
The 2025 car will not be the daughter of the SF-24, but will represent a clean break with the driver moved further back in the cockpit and with a front suspension that becomes a pull rod following the guidelines of McLaren and Red Bull. The gearbox will also be shorter due to the bodywork redesigned by Fabio Montecchi’s group.
Since the SF16-H of 2016, Ferrari has always had push rod suspension, while the SF15-T was pull rod like the 677 will be
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Loic Serra’s attention, therefore, in addition to supervising the 677 (the wind tunnel work is in full development, while the mechanics are already very advanced) will be dedicated to the Ferrari 2026.
The Frenchman will not bring changes to the newly defined structure, but the Cavallino technical staff will have to be strengthened in some strategic aspects of the new project. With the power unit that will generate power 50% with the hybrid system and 50% with the internal combustion engine, it will be essential to implement research areas with ultra-specialist figures.
The technical regulations for agile single-seaters leave great scope for research in the field of batteries and petrol. Until now, Ferrari has relied on trained and reliable partners, but now it is necessary to introduce new figures who know how to guide suppliers according to the directions that emerge from the project needs.
The Shell mobile laboratory to support Ferrari at the GPs
Photo credit: Shell Motorsport
Shell is the oil company that is studying totally sustainable biofuel that does not use fossil fuels for its production. F1 opens an innovative path that should extend the life of combustion engines, offering a second leg to mobility as an alternative to full electric. The 2026 regulation allows the use of bio-fuel and e-fuel: Shell, despite Aramco which is focusing on the second solution, is investing in the first.
Getting the choice right, given that the proposal to use just one petrol was rejected, will become very important, because the “right” petrol could create a significant difference in performance. The figure of the “chemist”, therefore, becomes key in conducting a process from Maranello that will be very delicate. The same argument can be applied to batteries: it is possible that the freedom of action left by the FIA legislator allows an evolution of the systems (now governed by the Chinese) which could be very useful not only for racing, but more generally for the great product of series.
Before the 2025 season begins, Serra’s staff will include specialists who will be called upon to find solutions in an innovative field, igniting the value of research to find competitiveness. Roles and figures that will find a place on the Scuderia’s board, strengthening a working group that today would not be able to provide all the answers to the new challenges…
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