Ferrari brings new upgrades to Saudi Arabia, with critical setup changes ahead of the Jeddah round — a key moment in the 2025 season. And that’s just the beginning…
57 points. That’s Ferrari’s current tally after four races — a figure they hope to leave behind starting in Jeddah. Still, the most recent Grand Prix in Bahrain offered a glimmer of hope: after a lackluster showing in the opening three rounds, the Prancing Horse delivered a strong performance and strategic execution — at least until a Safety Car intervention disrupted everything.
Both Leclerc and Hamilton expressed satisfaction with the updates introduced in Sakhir by Team Principal Fred Vasseur and Loic Serra, head of development for the SF-25. The aim was clear: to provide greater downforce to a car that has so far proven difficult to handle, showing both instability and inconsistency in its performance.
Is McLaren still out of reach? Is the Woking-based team really unbeatable this year? Statistically, it might seem so — but the middle phase of the Bahrain Grand Prix, along with the impressive resilience shown by Leclerc and Russell despite tire performance issues against Lando Norris, paints a different picture. So why not believe in a comeback, with 19 races still to go
From the Floor to Low-Drag Wings: Ferrari’s Approach for Jeddah
One of the main challenges with the SF-25 remains the car’s ride height — an ongoing concern for the Ferrari pit wall since the season opener in Melbourne. Setup issues stemming from ride height adjustments have led to critical errors. In fact, Ferrari was disqualified in Shanghai after the floor wear (“skid block”) on Hamilton and Leclerc’s cars exceeded the permitted limits by mere millimeters, due to the car running too low.
As a precaution, the car’s ride height was raised to avoid further FIA penalties. However, following the updates introduced in Bahrain, it seems Maranello has finally found the right development path. In Saudi Arabia, the SF-25 will feature a significantly lower downforce setup compared to Sakhir — meaning trimmed wings and a car that’s lower and more “glued” to the track.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ferrari’s first substantial upgrade package — following the limited updates seen in Bahrain and the minor changes planned for Jeddah — is expected to debut in Miami. That’s earlier than the originally planned rollout in Imola, Ferrari’s home race. Time will tell — but for now, all eyes are on Saudi Arabia.
Photo: Scuderia Ferrari HP
