Ferrari have now set a ‘day of resurrection’ that could transform Lewis Hamilton’s season after FIA announcement

Ferrari introduced an upgrade at the Bahrain GP earlier this month, and it’s led to a small improvement. But they still aren’t quick enough to even think about race wins.

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc combined for 22 points in Sakhir – Ferrari’s most productive weekend of the season. They put another 21 on the board in Saudi Arabia, with Leclerc finally delivering their first podium of 2025.

Leclerc was only eight seconds behind race winner Oscar Piastri in Jeddah, but Ferrari have a fundamental car weakness in qualifying. The Monegasque was nearly four-tenths off Max Verstappen’s pole position time.

Ferrari will roll out further developments next month, with the European season getting underway at Imola. But their competitors will respond in kind, so they may not see much relative progress.

Fred Vasseur’s squad came agonisingly close to winning the constructors’ championship last year, so anything less than the title this term has to be viewed as a failure. That statement arguably applies every season for Ferrari, the most successful team on the grid.

Ferrari believe the Spanish Grand Prix rule changes can resurrect their 2025 season

According to Motorsport Italy, Ferrari are still holding out of hope of a ‘day of resurrection’. But it won’t come from any updates.

Instead, they’re banking on the FIA’s front-wing clampdown at the Spanish Grand Prix (30 May – 1 June). The permitted flexibility will be significantly reduced.

The belief at Maranello is that McLaren and Mercedes, currently the top two in the constructors’ championship, are exploiting the existing loopholes. By contrast, Leclerc is confident that Ferrari won’t lose much performance.

A third of the season will already be in the books when F1 rolls into Barcelona (round nine). Thus, it could be too late to enter the title conversation, but a shift in the pecking order may at least lift the sunken mood at Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton has been left facing his worst nightmare at Ferrari as winter fixes miss the mark

If Ferrari’s calculations are correct, they will make major gains on McLaren, and potentially overhaul Mercedes, following the rule changes. That could transform Hamilton’s prospects for the remainder of the year.

But to reap the full benefits, he needs to find comfort in the SF-25. Hamilton is still requesting the opposite set-up changes to Leclerc, even though the eight-time race-winner seems to have found the balance that makes the car work.

Ferrari’s upcoming upgrades should be focused on their Saturday weakness. With the dirty air effect worsening this year, it’s particularly important to qualify well.

As it stands, Hamilton is facing his worst nightmare – he’s clearly regressed in qualifying trim, and his team have done the same. Ferrari saw their one-lap inconsistency as a ‘key issue’ to address over the winter, but their fixes didn’t work.