Ferrari now have one big ‘doubt’ about their imminent upgrades that Lewis Hamilton is desperate for

Follow us on Google Discover

Lewis Hamilton has now failed to take a podium finish during his first 10 races as a Ferrari driver, making it his worst start to a Formula 1 season in his 19-year career.

Never before had Hamilton failed to reach the rostrum in the first 10 rounds of an F1 season since he debuted back in 2007 for McLaren. His previous worst start to a season came back in 2009 for McLaren and in 2024 for Mercedes when the 40-year-old made just one podium.

Hamilton bagged his best finish as a Ferrari driver so far in the Scuderia’s backyard, Imola, as he secured P4 in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. The Briton has also scored just 79 points to be sixth in the F1 drivers’ championship after 10 rounds, whilst Oscar Piastri leads with 198.

Ferrari ‘doubt’ their rear suspension and floor upgrades will unlock the operating window of the Pirelli tyres

So, while the seven-time F1 champion is aware that the Scuderia cannot invest too much of their resources on their 2025 package given the 2026 F1 regulations, Hamilton is desperate for Ferrari’s rear suspension upgrade. The update might soon unlock the SF-25 in his hands.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about F1’s 2026 engine and chassis regulations

Ferrari want to introduce their upgraded rear suspension at the Austrian Grand Prix on June 27-29, with the update designed to make the rear-end of the SF-25 more predictable. It has been one of Hamilton’s biggest problems as he does not trust how Ferrari’s car will behave.

However, while Ferrari also hope their rear suspension upgrade will let them run the SF-25 lower to the ground, Motorsport.com reports that the Scuderia ‘doubt’ the update and the new floor being designed in Maranello will unlock the operating window of the Pirelli tyres.

Fred Vasseur feels Ferrari need cleaner races, not just updates, to improve in 2025

The Scuderia still have to run the SF-25 higher off the ground than the team ideally like after Ferrari’s first-ever double disqualification in the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix. Hamilton’s car was ruled to have endured excessive wear to the rear plank in Shanghai owing to the ride height.

But Ferrari now ‘doubt’ their imminent floor and rear suspension upgrades will be the silver bullet Hamilton and Charles Leclerc may need to win a Grand Prix this year. Ferrari have now seen Mercedes thanks to George Russell join McLaren and Red Bull with race wins this term.

Russell won the Canadian Grand Prix from pole position last time out, while Leclerc climbed from P8 on the grid to P5 and Hamilton finished P6. Leclerc begged Ferrari to do a one-stop race in Canada, as well, to try to make up for his poor qualifying and their car’s lack of pace.

The Scuderia’s upgrades could help Hamilton and Leclerc improve in qualifying, with neither yet to score a pole position this term, as well. But team principal Fred Vasseur thinks Ferrari need cleaner weekends and not just upgrades for them to secure better results in the races.