F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Ferrari mulling whether to roll out new floor upgrade in Bahrain

Ferrari is reportedly divided on whether to introduce a new floor upgrade for the team’s SF-25 contender at this week’s Bahrain Grand Prix, with the Italian outfit yet to align on the optimal moment for the element’s debut.

The 2025 season has so far been tough for the Scuderia, which is still chasing its first podium.

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have struggled with rear-end instability and a suboptimal ride height that bleeds downforce.

Australia delivered a disappointing eighth and 10th, hampered by poor pit-wall calls, while China ended in a double disqualification for technical breaches.

Leclerc’s fourth in Suzuka was a step forward but left Ferrari trailing the leaders. The new floor, designed to boost rear stability, is ready, but the team remains undecided on its rollout.

Balancing Progress and Precision

According to a report from Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ferrari is still internally debating the timing of its important floor update.

The aerodynamics team at Maranello, encouraged by simulation data showing car improvements, sees Bahrain as a chance to deploy the upgrade, which was initially part of a larger Miami development package.

However, team principal Fred Vasseur and technical director Loic Serra advocate refining the SF-25’s problematic dynamic balance first.

Vasseur emphasized this approach in Ferrari’s Bahrain Grand Prix preview.

“With the fourth race of the season taking place in Bahrain we get the opportunity to see how much progress we have made with the SF-25 in terms of extracting its potential since we were last here for the pre-season test at the very end of February,” the Scuderia boss explained.

“We are not where we want to be in terms of car performance, and we are working hard with the aim of making solid progress.

This will be our main focus in Sakhir, with the support of those working back at the factory in Maranello. Even the smallest detail can be important over the weekend, because gaining just one tenth can mean being ahead of some of our rivals, both in Saturday’s qualifying and in Sunday’s race.”

Within Ferrari, it is being argued that introducing the floor now could obscure its true impact without a stable baseline.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

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