Hamilton Inspired by Bahrain Progress as Ferrari Targets Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Breakthrough
Lewis Hamilton lastly had cause to sound extra upbeat following the Bahrain Grand Prix, providing a much more optimistic tone than his downbeat post-race reflections in Japan and China. After enduring a tricky run of kind—together with a disqualification in Shanghai because of extreme plank put on and being outperformed by teammate Charles Leclerc regardless of the Monegasque’s broken entrance wing—Hamilton delivered his strongest results of the season to this point with a fifth-place end in Bahrain.
Whereas Ferrari’s strategic gamble on the Sakhir circuit was undone by the ill-timed deployment of the race’s solely security automotive, it’s unlikely that the seven-time world champion would have completed any greater than fifth. Nonetheless, this efficiency—coupled together with his spectacular Dash Race win in Shanghai—marks a big step ahead for the 40-year-old in what has been a difficult begin to his Ferrari tenure.
Issues stay, nevertheless. Former F1 driver David Coulthard has voiced doubts over whether or not Hamilton has misplaced a few of his edge in qualifying, noting that the Briton solely managed to begin the Bahrain race from ninth on the grid. Nonetheless, Ferrari’s early-season replace bundle, which included an improved flooring design for the SF-25, seems to have delivered tangible advantages.
On condition that Hamilton’s disqualification in China was attributed to extreme plank put on, the upgraded flooring represents not only a efficiency increase however a crucial structural repair. These modifications could now set the stage for Ferrari to turn out to be much more aggressive on the high-speed Jeddah Avenue Circuit, house of the upcoming Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Ferrari Assured Hamilton Can Shine in Jeddah After SF-25 Upgrades
In accordance with a latest report from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ferrari engineers are extremely inspired by the influence of their first main growth bundle of 2025. The Italian publication claims the crew has “almost doubled” the optimum working window of the SF-25 due to the brand new flooring, with each Hamilton and Leclerc seeing quick advantages in efficiency and consistency.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix presents a really completely different problem in comparison with Bahrain. Jeddah’s clean, high-speed format options far much less abrasive asphalt, which may cut back McLaren’s ordinary tyre administration benefit—a key energy that has usually helped them outperform rivals throughout races with excessive degradation.
Ferrari insiders consider this variation in circuit traits could present supreme situations for each of their drivers. Gazzetta even experiences inner estimates of a possible “30% efficiency improve” over the Bahrain outing, making Jeddah a key alternative for the crew to shut the hole to its rivals.
Such an upswing in kind may put added strain on George Russell within the Mercedes, who has been battling Ferrari and McLaren for podium rivalry. Whether or not this anticipated step ahead might be sufficient to problem McLaren’s present benefit, nevertheless, stays to be seen.
Ferrari Planning Aggressive Growth Path Amid Constructors’ Title Chase
Because the 2025 System 1 season progresses, one of the crucial crucial strategic selections going through groups is when to shift growth sources towards their 2026 vehicles. Whereas a number of outfits are already waiting for the subsequent technology of laws, Ferrari can not afford to take their foot off the gasoline within the present marketing campaign—not with Lewis Hamilton nonetheless adjusting to life at Maranello and a championship bid theoretically nonetheless inside attain.
Gazzetta experiences that Ferrari is already arduous at work on its subsequent set of updates, anticipated to be launched on the Miami Grand Prix. The Scuderia is aware of that updates should come swiftly and often, as late-season enhancements go away fewer races through which to capitalize—particularly on condition that the 2026 technical laws will carry sweeping modifications that demand early consideration.
Ferrari is at present going through a deficit of almost 100 factors within the constructors’ standings, and Hamilton already trails McLaren’s Lando Norris by greater than 50 factors within the drivers’ championship. Though the hole shouldn’t be but insurmountable, the window for a significant comeback will slender because the season wears on.
For Hamilton and Ferrari alike, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix could function a litmus check—not solely of the SF-25’s growth potential however of how far this new partnership can go in 2025.
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