Ferrari’s much-anticipated upgrade package for the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix has received a positive initial reaction from Lewis Hamilton. Despite a challenging start to the season, the seven-time world champion remains optimistic about the team’s progress.
Ferrari Introduces New Floor to Boost Performance
Ferrari has struggled to find consistency in the opening rounds of the 2025 F1 season, with no podium finishes in the first three races. However, a major aerodynamic upgrade, including a new floor, aims to address their performance issues.
It has been widely reported that Ferrari has faced difficulties running their car lower to the ground, affecting its overall balance and efficiency. This weekend’s upgrade is designed to enhance downforce and stability, which could be crucial for turning their season around.
Despite McLaren’s impressive pace in Bahrain’s practice sessions, Hamilton remains encouraged by Ferrari’s improvements.
Hamilton: “The Upgrades Are Working”
Speaking after FP2, Hamilton acknowledged the team’s hard work and the positive impact of the new components:
“The upgrades are definitely working. A big thank you to everyone back home working so hard on bringing these upgrades.”
He highlighted the significant effort involved in developing and manufacturing these parts:
“There’s a lot of work that goes into the wind tunnel, a lot of effort in fabricating and assembling these floors. It’s great to see that we’re making steps forward.”
Although Ferrari’s one-lap pace didn’t appear particularly strong, Hamilton remains focused on extracting more performance from the car:
“We’re trying to get the most out of it. I hope we can make the right adjustments overnight to be stronger tomorrow.”
Hamilton Aims for More Consistency in Bahrain
During practice, Hamilton showed glimpses of speed, but he struggled to string together a clean lap on the soft compound tire. He was on course for P3 before running wide in the final sector. Charles Leclerc also needed multiple attempts to break into the top five.
With high tire degradation expected in Sunday’s race, Hamilton emphasized the need for a more predictable and balanced Ferrari:
“Same old Fridays—it was fun but tricky. The morning session was tough with the heat, and the grip on the hard tires was terrible. Switching to softs felt much better, and we could start making progress. We made some changes, and the car felt pretty decent overall. But we still need to fine-tune things.”
Looking ahead to qualifying, Hamilton outlined the key areas Ferrari must focus on:
“Consistency is the biggest thing. We need to string together a clean lap and have a car that’s predictable across all phases of the circuit. Right now, there are still some inconsistencies between low, medium, and high-speed corners. We’re working on refining that balance.”
The Briton also emphasized the importance of race pace over one-lap performance:
“Long-run pace is going to be crucial here. That’s what we’re focusing on, making sure we can manage tire wear and maintain performance over a full stint. If we can do that, we’ll be in a strong position for Sunday.”
Can Ferrari Turn Their Season Around? Ferrari’s struggles in 2025 have left them playing catch-up to Red Bull and McLaren, but their latest updates signal a determined push to close the gap. While their immediate pace may not be front-running just yet, Hamilton’s optimism suggests the team is on the right trajectory.
The Bahrain Grand Prix will be a critical test for Ferrari’s new package. If Hamilton and Leclerc can unlock the car’s potential in qualifying and demonstrate strong race pace, it could mark the beginning of a turnaround for the Scuderia.
With Saturday’s qualifying session looming, all eyes will be on Ferrari to see if their upgrades translate into real-world performance gains. Will the new floor make the difference Ferrari needs, or will their struggles continue?
