A major upgrade package is planned for the Spanish Grand Prix, coinciding with the rule change on flexible wings.
Ferrari has a specific date circled in red on its calendar: June 1st, the Spanish Grand Prix. As reported earlier this morning, the Maranello team will bring a massive upgrade expected to give the SF-25 significantly improved aerodynamic load—allowing Leclerc and Hamilton to gain stability and precision in corners that require traction, as well as speed on fast sections.
Leclerc has repeatedly emphasized that catching McLaren before Barcelona will be very difficult, and sources close to Ferrari indicate that the upgrade package initially planned for Imola will be enhanced and made available to both drivers for the Catalan event. The Spanish round could mark a new beginning for the Scuderia and for the season in general, especially since flexible wings will be banned—potentially changing everything, or leaving the situation as it is.
Comparing some statistics between the SF-24 and the SF-25 over the first five races, it’s clear that this year’s car is at least nine-tenths faster per lap. These figures are slightly inflated due to newly resurfaced tracks like Suzuka and Shanghai. Still, despite this improvement over last year’s model, those nine-tenths haven’t been enough to make Ferrari competitive in both championships, considering McLaren has improved by 1.3 seconds compared to 2024.
Ferrari continues to struggle in qualifying, with an average gap of 492 milliseconds behind McLaren. Running in dirty air destabilizes the rear end—which already lacks balance—and this affects race performance, particularly when the car is heavy on fuel. The SF-25 only begins to show its true potential once the tank is half-empty.
The major upgrade planned for Spain aims to fix—or at least improve—the key issues that are currently making life difficult for Ferrari, especially for Lewis Hamilton, who sounded rather resigned in his comments after the last Grand Prix. The team now faces a month-long wait to see whether this could be the beginning of a true resurgence and a renewed climb toward the World Championship.
