Ferrari's updated floor for its 2025 car will not appear until the Bahrain Grand Prix next weekend, as reported by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
This aligns with findings from the respected La Gazzetta dello Sport, dispelling earlier suggestions that the new floor might be introduced at this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.
Technical expert Paolo Filisetti notes that Ferrari's new technical director, Loic Serra, has expedited efforts on the Bahrain-specific design. In Australia and China, the Maranello-based squad identified that its 2025 car was "critically sensitive to changes in ride height," frequently leading to "substantial downforce loss."
"Loic Serra returned to Maranello immediately after Melbourne with the aim of analysing possible short-term solutions," said Filisetti.
Team principal Frederic Vasseur has expressed concern that the SF-25's true capability has only surfaced "on Friday and in the sprint in China" thus far.
Yet Filisetti, writing for La Gazzetta dello Sport, maintains that the "basic concept" of the 2025 project remains robust. Regarding the Bahrain-bound floor, he explains that "around 20 adjustments were tested in simulations to determine the optimal base for the single-seater that will take to the track in Japan."
The Bahrain floor will "not be a large package, but a preview of what is planned for the race weekend in Miami at the beginning of May."
Charles Leclerc, speaking at Suzuka on Thursday, remarked: "When you start in the middle of the pack with degradation, you cannot show your pace. So we need to improve in qualifying.
"We have to work on that. Small steps after small steps—we can still have an amazing season."
