Lewis Hamilton has cautioned that Ferrari’s much-anticipated rear suspension upgrade is unlikely to reach full optimisation during the Belgian Grand Prix sprint weekend at Spa-Francorchamps. Despite Ferrari’s efforts to introduce the component, Hamilton emphasized the limited opportunity the team will have to fine-tune the part in this condensed race format.
Ferrari is bringing the rear suspension upgrade following tests carried out by Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc during a filming day at Mugello, which occurred in the two-week break after the Silverstone Grand Prix. The upgrade aims to address issues Ferrari has faced maintaining optimal ride height, a challenge exacerbated since their double disqualification at the Chinese Grand Prix earlier this season.
Insights from the Mugello filming day and test with the SF-25
Speaking at the FIA press conference in Belgium, Hamilton downplayed the significance of the filming day at Mugello. He clarified that the session was not a technical test but rather a limited run intended mainly for promotional purposes.
It was a photoshoot day basically. I did 10 laps or whatever, 14 laps of filming. It wasn’t a test.
—Lewis Hamilton, F1 driver
When asked about any differences in the car’s performance with the new suspension, Hamilton responded that the feeling remained consistent with previous runs.
The same as before. The same as the week before.
—Lewis Hamilton, F1 driver
Hamilton also noted that the simulator did not reflect any noticeable changes from the upgrade, though he suggested that the new suspension might prove advantageous at circuits other than Spa.
Firstly, we will get to test the suspension tomorrow, I am sure there’s going to be learnings from it. We will figure out how to fine-tune it and just try to extract performance from it. On the simulator, there’s no difference. I am sure across different circuits perhaps there will be benefits.
—Lewis Hamilton, F1 driver
He expressed appreciation for Ferrari’s continued development after a period with slow progress, pointing out that substantial upgrades have arrived after several races without major improvements.
I think I was just really happy to see that there’s a big push back at the factory. There are a lot of changes and to see the results of those changes, it takes time. I was just really grateful to see that we have new parts. We will try to put them to use this weekend.
—Lewis Hamilton, F1 driver
Challenges posed by the limited sessions and weather at the Belgian Grand Prix
The Belgian GP this year features a sprint format with only 60 minutes allocated for practice before sprint qualifying. This truncated schedule presents a significant challenge to all teams, but especially Ferrari, as they have minimal time to understand and adjust the new suspension upgrade effectively.
The possibility of rain further complicates matters, since wet conditions reduce the opportunity to collect consistent data and fine-tune car setups.
Very, very difficult. We don’t have a lot of time, we need to double up. We need to make sure we get as much as information from both cars. We need to do the whole session.
—Lewis Hamilton, F1 driver
If it’s wet then that really halves your learning so in terms of fine-tuning the car it’s highly unlikely we’re going to fully optimise it during this weekend. It’s probably something we’re optimising over the next few weekends.
—Lewis Hamilton, F1 driver
Looking ahead: Ferrari’s development path beyond Spa
While the suspension upgrade’s immediate impact at Spa-Francorchamps may be constrained by the limited sessions and potential rain, Hamilton’s comments underline Ferrari’s ongoing development efforts throughout the season. The team has been working to close the performance gap with rivals such as Red Bull and Mercedes, who frequently introduce smaller upgrades at each race weekend.
Ferrari’s larger, less frequent upgrade packages, like the suspension update arriving in Belgium, suggest a strategic push to improve their SF-25’s competitiveness gradually. Success in extracting performance gains from this upgrade could influence the team’s development trajectory in upcoming races and their positioning in the championship battle.
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A. Lewis Hamilton, a Formula 1 race car driver, is open about his passion for a vegan lifestyle. He also invests in plant-based products.
