Ferrari upgrade breakthrough after Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc private test – report

Cautious optimism is reportedly the vibe at Ferrari after a successful new rear suspension test at their Mugello track.

That information comes from Formula 1 Web Magazine Italia, as Ferrari looks to turn around what has been a disappointing F1 2025 campaign so far.

Suspension upgrade to unlock Ferrari SF-25 performance?

Ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, as initially reported by PlanetF1.com, Ferrari put the SF-25 challenger into filming day action around its Mugello track, the FIA regulations permitting a maximum run time of 200km for such events, as its rear suspension upgrade made its first on-track appearance.

The new report states that after Ferrari reserve Antonio Giovinazzi had completed two laps of data gathering in the original SF-25 on the Wednesday, race drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc put the SF-25 with its new rear suspension solution through its paces on Thursday.

Following the test, ‘cautious optimism’ has reportedly prevailed at Ferrari, as the team looks to eradicate long-standing stability and ride height issues with the SF-25, which is thought to unlock additional set-up configurations for the Scuderia as F1 2025 enters part two of the season.

Latest F1 2025 head-to-head standings from PlanetF1.com

👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between team-mates

👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates

After pushing McLaren all the way to a 2024 Constructors’ Championship decider at the last round in Abu Dhabi, Ferrari has not been able to use that as a launchpad for F1 2025, the Scuderia restricted to just four podiums – all courtesy of Leclerc – P2 on home soil in Monaco his best result so far this season.

And a new rear suspension is not the only solution which Ferrari has reportedly been working on, with a power steering alteration apparently also on the cards for Hungary, which follows the Belgian Grand Prix, La Gazzetta dello Sport stating that came about after Hamilton and Leclerc apparently made a complaint about the high-speed cornering experience at Silverstone.

Comments from Leclerc made to McLaren’s Oscar Piastri recently resurfaced which validated the power steering concerns, which can be traced far further back than Silverstone.

At the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Round 5 of the season – Leclerc had the following conversation with Piastri in the cooldown room after scoring his and Ferrari’s first podium of the season:

Leclerc: “We need to do something for our steering wheel in those conditions.”

Piastri: “So slippery?”

Leclerc: “What?”

Piastri: “Your steering wheel?”

Leclerc: “My steering wheel, mate, is so heavy.”

Piastri: “Heavy?”

Leclerc: “Yeah. We have no assistance.”

Ferrari sit second in the current F1 2025 Constructors’ standings, but runaway leaders McLaren are 238 points up the road. Leclerc meanwhile sits fifth in the Drivers’ standings, a position and 16 points ahead of Hamilton.

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