Ferrari Bring Bahrain Upgrade Amid Pressure to End…Read more
Ferrari are set to introduce a new upgrade at this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix as they aim to bounce back from a difficult start to the season. Currently sitting fourth in the constructors’ standings, the team is hoping to turn things around after underwhelming early performances.
Although Lewis Hamilton secured a Sprint Race win in China, Ferrari have otherwise struggled to live up to the high expectations set before the season began. That victory brought only eight points equal to a sixth-place finish in a full Grand Prix a highlighting the team’s limited gains so far.
Hamilton will test a new floor during Friday practice, while rookie Dino Beganovic will step in for Charles Leclerc during FP1. The team hopes the upgraded floor will allow them to run the SF-25 closer to the ground, improving downforce without risking another rules breach. Hamilton’s car was disqualified in Shanghai for excessive skid block wear, prompting Ferrari to raise the ride height in Japan—a change that compromised performance.
Balancing 2025 Progress with 2026 Priorities
On ESPN’s Unlapped podcast, journalist Laurence Edmondson emphasized the importance of Ferrari’s latest update. If the ride height issue isn’t resolved soon, the team may need to make a tough call—continue chasing results this season or shift focus to the sweeping regulation changes coming in 2026.
The 2026 rules overhaul will be one of the biggest in F1 history, with major changes to power units and aerodynamics. As a result, some in the paddock believe Ferrari should consider cutting their losses on 2025 if championship contention slips further out of reach.
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur previously acknowledged the challenge of deciding when to redirect resources toward next year. Back in the off-season, he said the team expected to be on par with McLaren. But now, with Ferrari lagging behind by several tenths, the topic has become more sensitive—so much so that Vasseur has recently stopped answering questions about a potential pivot to 2026 development.
“There’s a performance loss when they raise the car—it’s just not in its sweet spot anymore,” Edmondson said. “If they can’t fix that, they’ll need to ask themselves: at what point do you say this season isn’t salvageable and start focusing on 2026?”
Ferrari May Set Deadline to Abandon 2025 Push
Behind the scenes, Ferrari are reportedly eyeing a date next month as a potential turning point—if performance gains don’t materialize, they may shift their full focus to preparing for the future.
Rumors suggest Mercedes could have the strongest power unit in 2026, with its new design running on sustainable fuel and featuring a much larger battery system. Hamilton benefitted from joining Mercedes just ahead of the hybrid era in 2014, helping them dominate for years. But in 2026, he may find himself on the other side if Ferrari can’t match Mercedes’ pace.
For now, Ferrari aren’t giving up on 2025 just yet. They’ll wait to see if the Bahrain upgrade helps close the gap. If not, Vasseur could soon decide that chasing a single race win this year isn’t worth sacrificing long-term success.
