The Belgian Grand Prix is likely to set the tone for Ferrari heading into the second half of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are still searching for their first Grand Prix victory of the year, with the team’s only success coming during the Sprint Race in China.
Ferrari were penalised 24 hours later in Shanghai, with both drivers disqualified for different reasons.
Ever since that moment, Ferrari have been on the back foot, and have been unable to run their perfect set-up.
Position Constructors’ Standings PointsPts 1 460 2 222 3 210 4 172 5 59 6 41 7 36 8 36 9 29 10 19
Ferrari’s disqualification due to excessive plank wear has forced the team to raise both cars, but this could be fixed very soon.
For the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix, Ferrari are planning to bring a rear suspension update that should increase their car’s optimum window.
A private filming day at Mugello gave Ferrari some ideas of how the rear suspension might fare at Spa, but further details have emerged that will encourage Hamilton and Leclerc.
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Photo by Mark Sutton – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty ImagesFerrari data ‘confirmed an improvement’ from rear suspension update ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix
A report from the Italian version of Motorsport has shared more details about last week’s filming day at Mugello.
It’s been reported that Ferrari’s telemetry ‘confirmed an improvement’ at the ‘most critical moment’ during a lap for the SF-25, when the car’s rear tends to lift under heavy braking.
This impacts the aerodynamics of the car, which harms corner entry speeds and the condition of their tyres.
Ferrari have struggled to optimise tyre performance, especially during qualifying, and so if the rear suspension can fix this, then Hamilton will be in a far stronger position on Saturdays.
Add this to the fact that Ferrari fare worse than any other team in dirty air, and it’s been a combination that’s prevented Hamilton from challenging for a single podium this year.
Position Drivers’ Championship PointsPts 1 234 2 226 3 165 4 147 5 119 6 103 7 63 8 46 9 37 10 23
The SF-25 performed well in the fast corners at Mugello, and it’s been said that the team have finally ‘unlocked the potential’ of Ferrari’s floor, which is the most important component on any ground effect F1 car.
The Belgian Grand Prix is a Sprint weekend, and while Ferrari might want three practice sessions to collect more data on the suspension, it also gives them an opportunity to see how the car performs under racing conditions.
It’s not expected that the update will provide a ‘significant performance advantage’ immediately, but the gaps between each team are so small that even a tiny improvement could have a massive effect.
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Lewis Hamilton catching Charles Leclerc in qualifying during his maiden Ferrari season
Before Hamilton arrived at Ferrari, he would have been aware of Leclerc’s reputation for being one of the best qualifiers on the grid.
Martin Brundle once suggested Leclerc was better over one lap than Max Verstappen, but this season it’s been a much closer contest than expected.
CategoryLewis HamiltonCharles Leclerc2025 points103119Grand Prix results29Grand Prix qualifying48Grand Prix wins00Grand Prix poles00Grand Prix podiums03Best finish4th3rdDisqualifications11Retirements00Retirements (classified finish)00Fastest laps00Grand Prix points finishes98Sprint results20Sprint Qualifying11Sprint wins10Sprint poles10Sprint podiums20The 2025 F1 teammate head-to-head battle of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc
In three of the last four races, Hamilton has started ahead of Leclerc, which suggests he’s quickly adapting to the SF-25.
Hamilton’s qualifying data shows he’s improving quickly, and a car that’s more stable and can get the tyres into the peak window more easily will only give him more confidence.
Leclerc said Hamilton’s performance was the only positive from the British Grand Prix, but both drivers will be encouraged by the noises coming out of the team heading to Spa.