Ferrari 'Relaunch' Teased with 'Bold' Upgrade Set to Save F1 2025 Season – Report

Ferrari’s ‘Relaunch’ Teased with ‘Bold’ Upgrade Aimed at Saving F1 2025 Season

Ferrari is pinning its hopes on a significant rear suspension upgrade, scheduled for next month, to revitalize the season for drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Despite entering the 2025 F1 season with high expectations and a strong finish in 2024, Ferrari currently trails the leaders by 152 points after only six races, with just one podium finish. Hamilton, the team's major winter acquisition, has struggled to adapt to the new car, with his best result being fifth place.

While Ferrari introduced a revised floor at the Bahrain Grand Prix, team principal Fred Vasseur indicated only a minor update for Imola, with a more substantial package planned for the Spanish Grand Prix in early June. This Spanish GP will also feature new front wings for all teams due to stricter FIA regulations on flexible wings, potentially altering the competitive order.

The Italian edition of Motorsport.com reports that Ferrari’s key to a stronger second half of the season lies in a rear suspension tweak, expected around the Austrian Grand Prix on June 29. This modification aims to allow for a more aggressive mechanical setup, enabling the SF-25 car to run closer to the ground. This addresses issues that arose after Hamilton's disqualification for excessive skid-block wear in China, which forced the team to raise the ride height.

The team is expected to retain its current pullrod rear suspension design, given budgetary constraints that limit major mid-season changes. Ferrari and Haas are the only teams currently using a pullrod setup, while the other eight competitors opt for a pushrod system.

Ferrari does not anticipate this upgrade will immediately place them in title contention but aims to boost team morale ahead of the 2026 season, as they are heavily focused on designing their first car under the new regulatory era, Project 678.

The three races before the summer break – Great Britain, Belgium, and Hungary – will serve as crucial testing grounds to evaluate the effectiveness of the rear suspension changes and accompanying aerodynamic package.

This development follows comments from F1 pundit Jolyon Palmer, who identified Ferrari as the season's biggest disappointment. He noted that despite a strong finish to 2024 and Hamilton's arrival, the team has not met expectations. Palmer highlighted Hamilton's ongoing struggles with rear-end instability, a persistent issue from his time at Mercedes, which continues to affect his performance at Ferrari. He suggested that both the team and driver are still navigating expected teething problems.