Ferrari’s long-anticipated upgrade for the SF-25 will be far more modest than originally reported, casting fresh uncertainty over Lewis Hamilton’s and Charles Leclerc’s hopes of closing the performance gap in the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Initially expected to be a major development milestone, Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur confirmed ahead of Imola that the team will introduce only a “small step” in terms of updates. This scaled-down upgrade plan follows a difficult Miami Grand Prix, where both Ferrari drivers voiced frustration with the car’s performance.
Hamilton, who secured third in the Miami Sprint, failed to advance past Q2 in the Grand Prix qualifying and finished 12th. His teammate, Leclerc, managed a slightly better result, qualifying eighth and finishing seventh in the race. Hamilton crossed the line just behind in eighth, but it was his radio messages—full of concerns about car performance and communication with his race engineer Riccardo Adami—that drew attention.
“This car has potential, but something’s clearly holding us back,” Hamilton said post-race. “Since China, we’ve lost performance—it’s in there, but we can’t unlock it. We need a solution.”
He remains optimistic that a fix will bring Ferrari back into contention with Mercedes and Red Bull, but such a solution seems unlikely to arrive in time for Imola.
Initial reports suggested Ferrari was preparing a comprehensive aerodynamic package for Imola, including reshaped sidepods and a revised floor. However, recent updates suggest those plans have been delayed or scrapped entirely, with only minor changes now expected.
Vasseur explained the scaled-back approach, saying, “There will be some updates at Imola, but the key is to find the right balance with this car. The track should suit us better than Miami, where we struggled in low-speed corners.”
Further updates are planned for Barcelona, the third leg in the upcoming triple-header that also includes Monaco. That race could be pivotal, as it coincides with the introduction of a revised Technical Directive aimed at curbing the use of flexible front wings—a change that could affect the entire aerodynamic balance of the cars.
With limited updates in the pipeline and mounting pressure from both within and outside the team, Ferrari’s next few races will be crucial in determining whether the SF-25 can truly compete—or if its shortcomings are structural.
