Lewis Hamilton set for Ferrari upgrade, but Charles Leclerc unsure of its impact

Ferrari are set to run their highly anticipated new rear suspension at the Belgian Grand Prix following its debut test at Mugello, but Charles Leclerc delivered a lukewarm verdict.

Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton completed 19 laps of the Italian circuit on Thursday as Ferrari’s new suspension upgrade was trialled for the first time.

Ferrari have been banking on this suspension tweak to save their season following an underwhelming first half of the 2025 F1 season.

According to Motorsport.it, Ferrari have “approved” it to be run at Spa-Francorchamps next weekend.

However, the initial signs aren’t overwhelmingly positive.

The report claimed that Leclerc expressed doubt over its initial impact, hinting that there was no “big difference” compared to before.

Leclerc drove the SF-25 on Thursday morning at Mugello, which hosted the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix.

Hamilton took over driving duties in the afternoon, and Loic Serra, Ferrari’s technical director, was present to evaluate how the rear suspension modification was working.

Ferrari’s season has been plagued by an inadequate suspension setup, which has prevented them from running their car at optimal ride height.

As a result, it has been challenging to drive the car to the limit and find the best setup.

Both Ferraris were disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix due to excessive plank wear.

Since then, Leclerc and Hamilton have been forced to set up the car suboptimally, raising the lap time and costing themselves lap time.

Similarly, both drivers have been forced to lift-and-coast throughout races to nurse other issues.

Will it end Ferrari’s winless run?

Ferrari is the only team inside the top four of the constructors’ championship without a race victory.

The car has continued to lack qualifying speed relative to its competitors.

While the SF-25 has performed better on race day, it’s rarely been a match for McLaren.

The suspension modification should allow for more “effective control of ground clearance”, which avoids the deterioration of the underfloor plank.

It should also make for a more consistent aerodynamic load, allowing the drivers to drive more consistently.

But, the initial verdict from Leclerc is that it’s not a significant difference to before.

Ferrari will have just one practice session at Spa to fine-tune their cars ahead of the sprint weekend.