Ferrari will bring its long-awaited rear suspension upgrade to next weekend’s Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix after positive findings at a private test, according to reports.
The Scuderia made use of a commercial filming day at Mugello to test the updated package, with both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton on hand to drive the SF-25.
According to the Italian arm of Motorsport.com, both Leclerc and Hamilton completed 19 laps each as per the 200 km of track time the team was allocated.
Some level of caution will be exercised regarding the conclusiveness for two reasons: the first being that the car was required to run on tyres not used on Grand Prix weekends.
The second is because, according to the report, Leclerc found no apparent difference upon his stint in the car, with nothing said about Hamilton’s feedback.
However, Technical Director Loic Serra was on hand to survey the test, and concluded that he had found what the report described as a “promoted” solution, and that the updated package will be taken to Spa-Francorchamps.
A new upper arm, via new attachments from the gearbox, has been designed to allow more rigidity, which should enable the car to be ridden at a lower ride height without disturbing the skid block beneath.
The new rear suspension will be the second major revamp the SF-25 has seen this year, having been fitted with a new floor from the Austrian Grand Prix, which immediately helped Leclerc and Hamilton to a 3-4 at the Red Bull Ring.
Ferrari is yet to secure a Grand Prix victory this season, with Hamilton’s Sprint win in China its only success. After Hamilton was disqualified from the full race in Shanghai, the discovery of the ride height issue was made.
If the new suspension enables Ferrari to have a greater breadth in its set-up, then, in theory, the car should prove to be more competitive.
The Spa weekend features another Sprint, which, whilst ensuring a packed schedule, might give Leclerc and Hamilton ample opportunity to find a suitable set-up around a circuit packed with high-speed corners.
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