Hamilton and Leclerc give Ferrari’s new package a qualified welcome
After a difficult start to the 2025 season and under the weight of enormous expectations, Ferrari introduced a substantial package of updates in Bahrain, hoping to turn things around. Initial indications are positive: the improvements are working. The bad news? They're still not enough to seriously worry McLaren.
The Maranello team has employed all its resources in terms of development. The new package includes a complete overhaul of the floor, the leading edge, and a redesigned diffuser. The main objective is clear: to allow the SF-25 to run closer to the ground to improve its balance and stability, flaws identified since the start of the season.
The initial tests confirmed the effectiveness of the modifications. During the second free practice session, Charles Leclerc finished fourth, on par with George Russell and ahead of Max Verstappen. An encouraging performance, but not so much, as the Monegasque was still half a second behind Oscar Piastri’s McLaren, which dominated the session.
Lewis Hamilton with a smile on his face and confidence restored
Alongside the seven-time world champion during free practice 1, Dino Beganovic, the Scuderia reserve driver, took the wheel of the previous version of the SF-25, while Hamilton was able to immediately notice the impact of the improvements on the track: “The improvements definitely work,” said the seven-time world champion. “A big thank you to everyone at the factory who worked so hard to bring these improvements, it’s never easy.”
During the long runs in FP2, Hamilton finished third after three laps on soft tires, 0.979 seconds behind his compatriot Russell who did six, with Piastri placing first in 1:37.27 and Norris fifth.
Regarding practice laps and qualification simulations, unfortunately, the reality remains the same: there is still no sign of a major breakthrough.
Charles Leclerc quite critical of the changes
While Lewis Hamilton was straightforward in saying that the upgrades definitely work, his teammate Charles Leclerc was not as enthusiastic.
« We’re simply not fast enough. If you look at McLaren, they’re on another planet right now », sighs the Monegasque. « It’s frustrating, but that’s the way it is. And it motivates me to close this gap as soon as possible. They’re incredibly fast. »
The high temperatures and the beginner drivers during the first practice session produced mixed results, but when things settled down in the second practice session, a clear picture emerged: Charles Leclerc was the fastest of the two Ferraris in fourth position, with Hamilton in P8.
« The car therefore needs to be readjusted, and there will be a lot of work overnight to try to turn the situation around. We need to maximize the potential of the car we currently have », he stated.
Nevertheless, Charles Leclerc does not hide his hopes of returning to the top 3. « If that means finishing fourth, third, fifth… I don’t know what it will be, but we will have to take it, and I hope that at some point, we will be the fastest car on the track again. »
In conclusion, Ferrari’s upgrade package seems to be working well and brings a notable performance gain. But it’s not yet enough to bridge the monumental gap created by McLaren since the first race. The Bahrain race will thus be a test to see if the improvements hold up under full performance conditions.
