After a week-long break, Formula 1 returns to the track for the Austrian Grand Prix. Ferrari is under close scrutiny this weekend at the 4.318-kilometre Red Bull Ring in Spielberg due to the aerodynamic updates introduced on the SF-25 single-seater. The revised floor is already set to be evaluated during the first free practice session. Charles Leclerc said yesterday he expects some improvements, though nothing dramatic. In short, McLaren remains out of reach, but that was already clear.
On the other side, Lewis Hamilton continues trying to carry Ferrari forward: the seven-time Formula 1 world champion reiterated that changes are being attempted within the Maranello racing department, and he personally aims to be instrumental in shaping the team’s future, particularly with the 2026 championship being pivotal due to the incoming technical regulation changes.
Now let’s take a detailed look at how events unfolded in FP1 for the Italian side. During the first free practice session in Spielberg, Charles Leclerc did not take part in on-track activity. Instead, Dino Beganovic, a young Swedish driver from the Ferrari Academy, stepped in. He was joined by Lewis Hamilton, focused on developing the car’s new floor. Both Ferrari cars began the session on Pirelli’s C3 Hard compound tires, completing several laps at a consistent speed.
Car number 44 featured a prominent aerodynamic rake mounted behind the cockpit, used for data collection. The British driver was instructed to complete two laps using the “Engine 4” mode at a controlled pace to ensure smooth, interference-free measurements. The Austrian circuit’s layout — with its long straights and fast corners — is particularly suited to aerodynamic testing.
Lewis Hamilton then switched to Medium tires, aiming for higher grip compared to the hard compound. The rakes installed on the car were used to monitor lateral out-wash airflow and verify how cleanly air was directed to the rear end — an element aligning with the analysis of the new floor published the previous day. The device was not positioned behind the front wheels, as that area is too exposed to rolling turbulence.
Lewis Hamilton completed only a couple of laps before being called back to the garage due to a potential transmission issue. Despite the setback, during his only full lap the car appeared well-balanced. After a short pause, the issue was resolved and car 44 returned to the track. Meanwhile, Dino Beganovic’s SF-25 was also fitted with the upgraded floor. At this stage, it is impossible to draw solid conclusions: Lewis Hamilton only attempted one more run and maintained a moderate pace. The car setup seemed neutral and his racing lines were clean, but without a full-speed comparison, evaluations remain inconclusive. The next run should offer more concrete insights into the true potential of the updates.
Lewis Hamilton rejoined the session, but just as he was about to begin a flying lap, he noticed that the drag reduction system was not functioning. An unfortunate circumstance for the British driver, who could not fully exploit the car’s potential. He also reported via radio that tire temperatures rose quickly — an unpromising sign, especially given that he wasn’t conducting a long run with heavy fuel loads.
Dino Beganovic, in contrast, continued his program without issues, which at least marked a positive note. However, given his limited experience behind the wheel of the SF-25, he too was unable to provide in-depth technical feedback. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton remained in the garage, where for the third time engineers removed the engine cover to trace the source of the problems.
With only a few minutes left, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion returned to the track, but new braking system issues emerged. In essence, the session proved largely unproductive for the team, hampered by a series of technical problems that disrupted the scheduled work. Valuable time was lost, and the data gathered fell short of expectations — a missed opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the new aerodynamic updates.
— see video above —
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