JUST IN: New Lewis Hamilton Setback as Ferrari Scales Back SF-25 U…read more
Lewis Hamilton Faces Fresh Blow as Ferrari Downgrades SF-25 Upgrade Plans for Imola
Lewis Hamilton’s troubled start to life at Ferrari has suffered another setback, with the team confirming it will delay major upgrades to the SF-25 originally planned for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Instead of the significant performance boost expected at Imola, Ferrari will bring only a minor update, citing the need for additional development time. Team principal Fred Vasseur described the changes as merely a “small step,” falling short of the substantial gains that both drivers — and fans — had anticipated.
The announcement comes at a critical moment for the Scuderia. After another underwhelming weekend in Miami, where Hamilton finished a distant 8th and Charles Leclerc claimed 7th, internal pressure is mounting. Despite a strong Sprint result, Hamilton struggled in qualifying and spent much of the race battling an unresponsive car and ongoing communication issues with his engineer, Riccardo Adami.
> “We’ve lost performance since China,” Hamilton said post-race. “It’s there — we just can’t tap into it. Something’s holding us back.”
The seven-time World Champion remains adamant the SF-25 has untapped potential but insists solutions must come quickly.
“Once we solve a few core issues, we can fight the Mercedes and Red Bulls again — but we need that fix sooner rather than later.”
Ferrari had earmarked the Imola race as a turning point in its 2025 campaign, particularly with the European leg of the season now in full swing. The scaled-back upgrade plan, however, casts further doubt on the team’s ability to close the growing performance gap to Red Bull, McLaren, and even Hamilton’s former team, Mercedes.
With frustration growing on all fronts and no immediate fix in sight, Ferrari faces a crucial few weeks — not just in terms of championship standings, but in retaining the confidence of a driver whose patience appears to be wearing thin.
