Ferrari boss reveals Lewis Hamilton setback ahead of …read more
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has tempered expectations ahead of the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix, stating that upcoming upgrades to their Formula 1 car will not bring any immediate breakthroughs.
This news is a blow to both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, whose championship aspirations depend on Ferrari solving core issues with the car.
The iconic Italian team is off to one of its worst starts in its 75-year history, with no podium finishes so far and a double disqualification at the Shanghai International Circuit on March 23 compounding their struggles.
Despite the poor performance, Ferrari remains optimistic. The team claims to have pinpointed the key issues and estimates they are just three-tenths of a second behind front-runners McLaren and Red Bull. Updates are in development, but Vasseur cautions fans and drivers not to expect a dramatic turnaround.
“We’ll be introducing updates soon,” Vasseur confirmed to the media, including Total-Motorsport.com. “But first, we need to resolve the balance issues and get the most out of our current package. There’s still untapped potential, but even with the updates, there won’t be any miracles. Progress will come step by step.”
Ferrari’s Floor Dilemma: The Root of the Bahrain Challenge
The upcoming upgrades are designed to expand the car’s setup flexibility, improving performance across different types of circuits. One major goal is to fix problems related to ride height. Ferrari’s engineers designed a floor intended to perform better at high speeds, but so far, it hasn’t delivered.
To prevent excessive plank wear—an issue that led to Hamilton’s disqualification in China—the team has had to raise the floor, which reduces aerodynamic efficiency and downforce. This has further compromised the car’s competitiveness.
As reported by funoanalisitecnica.com, Ferrari is also grappling with a general lack of balance and performance—challenges the new upgrades aim to address.
After the Japanese Grand Prix, Hamilton reflected on the limitations of the current car: “That was the best I could do with what I had,” he told Sky Sports F1. “I gave it everything. This weekend, we had underperformance at the rear, and qualifying really made the difference.”
