Lewis Hamilton Reveals How Ferrari Can Close F1 Rival Gap

Lewis Hamilton believes lowering Ferrari’s SF25 ride height would recover performance and close the gap to rivals, after the team raised the rear following Shanghai’s disqualification for plank wear.

His Ferrari debut remains podium-less, with fourth at Imola, Austria, and Silverstone his best results. Expectations are high; progress depends on extracting more from the car’s aerodynamic platform.

Ferrari lifted the rear to protect legality after Hamilton’s sprint win and race exclusion in Shanghai. Higher ride heights reduce floor sealing and downforce in ground‑effect cars, costing lap time.

Hamilton argues a lower platform would improve load consistency and tyre management, especially in medium‑speed corners. The risk increases over bumps, kerbs, and compressions where plank wear accelerates.

That compromise is magnified on sprint weekends, with limited practice and parc fermé locking setups early. Ferrari has prioritised margin, sacrificing peak load for reliability and legality.

The constructors’ picture is tight behind McLaren. Mercedes holds 290 points, Ferrari 286, Red Bull 272—only 18 cover that trio in the constructors’ standings, while McLaren leads on 623.

Hamilton does not expect victories on pure pace yet. He targets gains by lowering the car where surfaces allow, then managing risk through ride‑height maps and kerb‑strike policing.

Track specificity matters. Bumpy street venues like Singapore’s Marina Bay demand clearance, yet a slightly lower baseline could still unlock floor efficiency on smoother sections of the lap.

Ferrari’s development task is familiar: add aerodynamic stability without triggering porpoising, and increase mechanical compliance to keep the platform stable under braking, camber changes, and kerb usage.

The longer view also matters. Lessons from 2025 will inform concepts as rivals shape their 2026 programmes, including Red Bull’s direction with Verstappen.

In the near term, Ferrari focuses on incremental steps: revised floor edges, stiffer mounts, and setup tweaks that let the car run lower without uncontrolled oscillations.

Consistency remains the target. Bank points while opportunities arise through strategy or safety cars, and be ready to strike if McLaren or Red Bull stumble on execution or tyre degradation.

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Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.