Ferrari’s decision to delay the SF-25 upgrade has left Lewis Hamilton facing another challenging race weekend.
- Despite high hopes, Ferrari’s new SF-25 hasn’t delivered the expected performance boost this season.
- Hamilton’s seventh-place finish in Saudi Arabia illustrates his ongoing struggle to adapt with Ferrari.
- Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur confirms upgrades will wait until Imola, leaving Miami without enhancements.
- Charles Leclerc’s recent podium at Jeddah offers some solace, but more improvements are needed.
Lewis Hamilton, still acclimating to his role with Ferrari, has been hit with another setback. With the team opting to postpone their SF-25 upgrade until the Imola Grand Prix, Hamilton will be without the much-needed performance enhancements during the Miami race. This decision comes after his disappointing seventh-place finish at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which underscores the challenges he’s facing.
Initially, there was speculation that the SF-25 brought a significant speed advantage, gaining half a second, yet the reality has been less optimistic. Ferrari often finds itself trailing behind competitors like McLaren, Mercedes, and Red Bull. While Charles Leclerc managed to clinch a podium in Jeddah, the overall performance of the team has been lackluster.
Hamilton’s inability to finish higher than fifth in any Grand Prix since joining Ferrari highlights the difficulties in extracting the best from the car. In his own words post-Saudi race, he said, “I don’t have an answer for you, no. There’s nothing. Balance, struggling to feel the car beneath me, but there’s no particular thing.” The lack of a clear solution adds to the frustration and pressure he faces.
Ferrari’s hesitancy to introduce upgrades is rooted in caution. Vasseur, the team principal, articulated the need to ensure a proper understanding of the car’s issues to avoid counterproductive changes. This mirrors their approach from the previous year, where precision was prioritized over speed of implementation. Consequently, the Sprint race in Miami will proceed with the current car setup, delaying any potential gains until Imola.
As Leclerc remarked, “We need to keep pushing the maximum and, hopefully, upgrades are coming soon to improve the car.” His statement reflects the urgency within the team to find resolutions, especially since they’re already significantly behind in the Drivers’ Championship standings. With a current fifth-place position, he trails the leader, Oscar Piastri, by over 50 points, a predicament he hopes to rectify through forthcoming technical advancements.
Without immediate fixes, Hamilton’s challenges with Ferrari seem set to continue into the next races.
