
Although it wasn’t a positive event in terms of results, the Bahrain GP turned out to be moderately encouraging for Ferrari. Based on what was shown on track, Maranello may have reason to set aside some of the dismay caused by the initial, disappointing races of 2025 and the letdown of failing to live up to winter promises. As mentioned, even though it must be said with caution, the three days in Sakhir may have given the team the awareness that, while still not on the level of their rivals, the SF-25 showed signs of life. The car finished just off the podium, with Leclerc followed by Lewis Hamilton, and delivered a mid-race pace that was on par with, if not better than, the competition. A flash of performance that might have provided the engineers with a path to start climbing back, considering that the placement was more promising in dynamics than in actual results, thanks to the team’s ability to understand and optimally set up the SF-25, resulting in a much better showing than in previous outings.
Is it the right path? Encouraging signs, especially with the future in mind, certifying the good work done in understanding the package and fine-tuning the setup, as well as the effectiveness of the developments (floor and diffuser) brought to the track. These did not solve all the car’s issues but did guarantee better performance. A step forward also confirmed by Lewis Hamilton’s race, where he was able to push and attack, nearly matching the pace of his teammate. It’s a progression that both the team under principal Frederic Vasseur and the seven-time world champion himself will want to confirm this weekend at the Saudi Arabian GP. So far, confirmation seems to have come only from Charles Leclerc, who at the end of FP2 in Jeddah once again showed confidence with the car, placing it behind the McLarens in race simulations, although there are still details to sort out over a single lap.
Still trouble for Hamilton? Quite the opposite for Lewis Hamilton, still struggling on both single-lap pace and race pace, and almost lost in the standings at the end of the first day of a weekend that, once again, appears to be an uphill battle—made even trickier by possible issues with his Ferrari SF-25 car. Problems that he mentioned over the radio but for which no confirmation or details have been provided.
Hamilton: “Something’s wrong, man…”
An issue that occurred just moments before Yuki Tsunoda‘s crash at the final corner of the Saudi circuit. As a result, the warning was “ignored” and postponed for later analysis by his race engineer, Riccardo Adami.
Adami: “Tsunoda in the barriers at the last corner, watch out for T27… stay inside.”
Hamilton: “Yeah, yeah. Sure! Yes!”
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