Formula 1 teams may be winding down development of their current cars ahead of the rules reset for 2026, but Ferrari is pushing on with a rear suspension revamp.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have been hampered this year by compromises Ferrari is having to make with its ride height.
Ferrari is unable to run it SF-25 as low to the ground as it would like for peak performance because the car risks bottoming out too much, especially in high-speed corners or when full of fuel in races.
This risks wearing the plank out on the underside of the car, a factor that contributed to Lewis Hamilton's disqualification from the Chinese Grand Prix.
Analysis of the situation at Ferrari has pointed to the problem being linked to its rear suspension layout - which has changed this year as a result of revisions to various car elements including a shorter gearbox.
It is understood that the modifications planned to the suspension are intended to create more space around the gearbox to allow for greater damper capacity.
In being able to better control the ride height, this will help it run closer to the ground without the risk of striking the ground as regularly.
The changes are not something that can be done overnight, and it is likely that the new rear suspension will only arrive shortly before the summer break - although potentially earlier, at either the Austrian GP in late June or the British GP a week later in early July.
With teams mindful of switching over their 2026 design efforts as early as possible, Ferrari's move in throwing resources to such a major change like rear suspension may seem to be unusual.
However, team principal Fred Vasseur explained ahead of the Emilia Romagna GP at Imola that it made sense to keep developing mechanical components because they could at least be kept on into the next ruleset.
Asked specifically about the work on the new rear suspension, Vasseur said: "We are working on all the areas of the car, mainly on mechanical, because it's something that we can carry over to try to get a better performance over the season.
"It's not a secret for us and it's not a secret for the others that at one stage you will have to switch to 2026. But we are working not only on suspension. We are trying to understand where we can add performance."
Vasseur said that continuing to commit resources to aerodynamic changes would be illogical now because next year's cars will be so different.
"We have a new front wing regulation in Spain, in that we are all obliged to do a new front wing for Spain [because of the FIA's technical directive relating to flexi wings]," he said.
"But all the other [aero] components of the car, if you develop a new floor, or a new rear wing, you won't carry it over for 2026.
"The regulations are completely different. The rear wings are different. The flow regulation is completely different.
"It means that [if you bring an aero update] you will do it only for the last eight races. It's a bit different on the mechanical side, because if you work on mechanical components...you can carry it over for next year."
Although some teams well know the benefits of focusing all their efforts on the 2026 rules rather than continuing to develop their current challengers, Vasseur said he believes it would be wrong for Ferrari to throw the towel in on this season.
He added that there is value to be had in keeping the team focused on what is going on right now.
Asked about stopping work on this car to concentrate on next year's rules, he said: "It would be a mistake. I think that if you want to improve, you need to stay competitors and you need to stay into the fight.
"It's only when you are fighting for something that you pay attention to details, that you are in this kind of mindset of competition.
"I can't imagine that a group of 1000 people can keep the same motivation if you give up something, because you don't have the pressure of the result for next week or you don't have the pressure of the result for the next session."
He added: "I want to keep everybody under pressure today. Now, '26 it's another story for that group of people working on '26, but for the guys who are racing, we need to keep this up."
