Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton has confirmed that his 2025 car will sport a new floor design at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The Maranello squad departed Suzuka last Sunday frustrated, with the SF-25 lagging behind the pace-setting McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes teams. "I think everyone expected a bit more from Ferrari," championship leader Lando Norris remarked in Bahrain.
"I also think they expected more from themselves."
For several days, it's been known that a new floor was prepared for a potential Bahrain debut—or even earlier—but senior team members worried that rushing it out might backfire. "The new floor is here," seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton declared in Bahrain, "and I'm very relieved and excited."
Reports have suggested the floor issue has impacted Hamilton more than teammate Charles Leclerc, alongside whispers of growing discontent from both drivers. "I don't believe all the things that are circulating on social media, positive or negative," Hamilton countered. "I know how to get where I'm going, how to work with people and how to improve every day. I don't stress about things that are out of my control."
Leclerc faced questions about a post-Suzuka rumour claiming he'd lost patience and told engineers he'd abandon a Hamilton-esque setup to "go my own way".
"I don't understand how these rumours start," the Monegasque responded in Bahrain. "There was nothing negative in what I said. It is just a direction that I find very interesting to work in and which I want to continue to push. We are all here to maximise the potential of the car, and if I feel comfortable putting the car in a different place, then it is positive for everyone," he added.
Adding intrigue, former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, a rare sight in F1 lately and a vocal critic of the team's recent struggles, will attend the Bahrain race. "I hope to be able to bring luck to Ferrari, which is in great need of it," the 77-year-old, invited by Bahrain's Crown Prince, told Ansa news agency.
