Ferrari have introduced a series of upgrades for this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix. It’s the first major development race play from a frontrunning team in 2025.
Chief among the innovations is a brand-new floor. In this era of Formula 1, the underbody is the ‘biggest single of generator of downforce’.
That’s according to Ted Kravitz, who analysed the updates live on Sky Sports. In addition to the floor, Ferrari have revised their bargeboard and their diffuser.
It’s only round four out of 24, but already this feels like a crucial moment for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. Ferrari enter the weekend fourth in the world championship, closer to Williams behind than they are Red Bull ahead.
Ted Kravitz has realised Ferrari’s upgrades for Bahrain Grand Prix are ‘serious’
Kravitz praised Ferrari’s engineers for their ‘lovely’ new bargeboard as he inspected the SF-25 in the Bahrain Grand Prix pit lane. It occasionally takes teams multiple races to optimise an upgrade, so judgement should be reserved.
The analyst was particularly struck by the introduction of a new diffuser. That, above all, is a sign that these developments are ‘serious’, even if Leclerc was playing them down.
Kravitz says Ferrari are hopeful of transforming their season from this weekend onwards. Hamilton won the Sprint in China but the team haven’t had a podium in a Grand Prix yet.
“Four big changes to the biggest single generator of downforce on the car – that’s the floor,” said Kravitz. “Let’s have a look.
“Look how lovely the angle is of this bargeboard. That’s new. The cut-out on here is new. These fences feeding the air down to the underside of the floor, they are new. These floor edges are also new.
“There’s a new diffuser. You know when a team brings a new diffuser to a race, they’re serious about generating loads of lovely downforce.
“This is a significant upgrade – an upgrade that Ferrari are hoping is going to transform their season and get them back to winning ways.”
What trackside viewers noticed watching Lewis Hamilton with new Ferrari floor
Watching on from trackside, Italian journalist Zander Arcari offered a positive initial review of the Ferrari upgrades. Hamilton was finding the apex of turn 13 ‘much more easily’ than he was during pre-season testing.
That suggests Fred Vasseur’s team may have improved their front end. But it remains to be seen whether the drivers’ feedback aligns with that assessment.
Hamilton got the first taste of the upgrades, with Charles Leclerc ceding his cockpit to junior driver Dino Beganovic. Ferrari filled the first of the four mandatory rookie slots.
It’s worth remembering that opening practice at Sakhir takes place in much hotter daytime conditions, while the most important action takes place after sunset. Hamilton once called FP1 in Bahrain ‘a complete waste’ of time.
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