As Ferrari rolls out a significant floor upgrade for its SF-25 for this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton has welcomed the development but made clear that his eyes are firmly set on the bigger picture: laying the groundwork for success in 2026.
Ferrari has struggled to maintain the competitive edge it showed last year when it was in contention for race wins. This season, the team has secured only three podium finishes, all courtesy of Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc.
The Briton’s sole highlight was an unexpected victory in the Shanghai sprint race, but the team’s overall performance has been underwhelming. To address this, Ferrari is introducing one of its most significant upgrades of the season at the Red Bull Ring.
The seven-time world champion acknowledged the Italian outfit’s hard work in bringing the development to the track but cautioned against expecting immediate gains while emphasizing the importance of improving the team’s foundation for next season.
Focused More on Changes in the Background
“The team have worked really hard to bring a new floor,” Hamilton told F1 TV at the Red Bull Ring on Thursday. “I really don’t know what kind of step it is, so I’ll find out tomorrow.”
“I am focused more, I would say, on changes in the background, foundation-building stuff that we need to put in place in order to have a better 2026.
“You always want upgrades, so I’m grateful for every little bit, whether it’s a small or big piece,” he added. “What I would like to say is don’t expect much change.
“Hopefully tomorrow we’ll find something that we didn’t expect, but again we don’t really know, so we will find out tomorrow whether or not.
“Hopefully it will be a step in the right direction and I think that’s the most important thing, that we are moving forwards.”
Leclerc Targets More Downforce in Key Weak Areas
Ferrari currently trails Red Bull and McLaren in the constructors’ standings. This weekend’s upgrade is aimed at narrowing the gap to the front-runners – particularly in low-speed corners, where Ferrari has consistently struggled.
Leclerc echoed Hamilton’s cautious approach, noting that while the team understands the nature of its current deficits, solutions will not come instantly.
©Ferrari
“There are problems, we are aware of them, we are trying to tackle them,” said Leclerc. “The slow speed [corners] have been an overall weakness so far.”
“Are we targeting to try and improve the slow speed performance? Yes. Is there a specific weakness? I honestly don’t really think so.”
“I think it’s just overall downforce that we need at low speed that I hope we’ll see [get] better this weekend. But let’s wait and see.”
While both drivers were measured in their expectations, the team hopes the update marks the start of a broader recovery after a frustrating start to the season.
For Hamilton, however, the real mission lies beyond the visible upgrades – in shaping a team capable of seizing the new era of F1 that that will begin in 2026.
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