Lewis Hamilton remains optimistic that Ferrari’s new floor upgrade can help the team close the performance gap at this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix. Despite a rocky start to his first season with the Italian outfit, Hamilton believes the improvements could offer a noticeable boost.
The seven-time world champion admitted Ferrari has lacked raw pace in the opening rounds. While he did claim victory in the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint, Hamilton’s best full-race result so far was a seventh-place finish in Japan, following a disqualification in China and a 10th-place run in Australia.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Hamilton said, “We’ve got an upgrade this weekend, so I’m hopeful we’ll gain a bit more downforce. I’m not feeling any major issues—just an overall lack of performance. Hopefully this helps us move forward.”
The Bahrain International Circuit, which hosted pre-season testing, could serve as a familiar backdrop for Ferrari to rebound. Hamilton added that he feels more comfortable in the car now than he did during testing and is optimistic that better setup understanding will lead to improved results.
However, he cautioned that Ferrari’s updates likely won’t bring them on par with early-season front-runners McLaren, who have dominated the first few races. “We’re trying to figure out how to catch McLaren. They’ve got a fantastic car. They won the Constructors’ title last year, and they’ve started this season strong,” Hamilton said.
While Ferrari aims to make progress, Hamilton made it clear the goal isn’t necessarily to eliminate the gap this weekend but to start closing it. “We’re just trying to extract more from the car and see where that takes us,” he added.
Hamilton’s teammate, Charles Leclerc, also shared cautious optimism ahead of Bahrain, hoping that the expected 35°C temperatures might work in Ferrari’s favor. “There’s no clear sign it will help, but in the past, we’ve been stronger in the heat,” Leclerc said.
Ferrari’s disappointing start to the season came after a strong finish in 2024 that saw Leclerc earn multiple podiums and two wins. “We thought we’d pick up where we left off, but it hasn’t gone that way. It feels like we’ve taken a step back,” Leclerc admitted.
Still, he’s hopeful that the new car parts introduced in Bahrain can help the team get back to fighting at the front. Both drivers remain focused on pushing Ferrari back into top-tier contention as the F1 triple-header continues in Sakhir.
