Hamilton optimistic that new floor will address Ferrari's issue.

      "We may be able to get closer if we achieve that downforce."

      Ferrari is banking on a crucial floor upgrade that is expected to debut this weekend in Bahrain. Team principal Frederic Vasseur acknowledges that the 2025 car is not performing at the desired level. "We’re lacking two to three tenths of a second in qualifying," he stated to Sky Italia. "In the race, it’s even more significant—three to four tenths."

      Ferrari received criticism for not accelerating the introduction of the new floor—reportedly to address a clear issue—at Suzuka. "We don’t need to and won’t change our strategy," Vasseur remarked. "And you won’t improve by three to four tenths in a single move."

      Lewis Hamilton is eagerly anticipating the much-needed upgrade, noting that the ride height needs to be set "higher than we would prefer." "We discovered something that hasn’t provided the expected performance in the last three races, and I hope we can achieve better results once we manage that," said the seven-time world champion. "I hope we can get this under control by the next race. When the new parts arrive, this issue should no longer be present. The improvement we need lies in rear downforce."

      However, races in Melbourne, Shanghai, and now Suzuka have revealed that Ferrari is trailing not only behind McLaren but also Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and the two Mercedes teams. Hamilton commented, "We’re in fourth. If we can get that downforce, we might close the gap. The team is aware of it but isn’t sure about the underlying cause; however, when we receive the new part, that will change."

      Hamilton also recognizes that Charles Leclerc is currently the fastest Ferrari driver. The Monegasque driver is also looking forward to Bahrain, admitting that his fourth-place finish at Suzuka was "frustrating." "Bahrain next week will be very crucial for me because I will approach it with a very clear direction for my driving style," Leclerc stated somewhat cryptically. "This weekend doesn’t bring me joy because it’s disheartening to see that despite doing everything perfectly today, we still ended up fourth. After the initial races, we can acknowledge that our starting position wasn’t ideal, but this is what we can manage for now."

      Ferrari has not officially confirmed the new floor will be in Bahrain, but Vasseur mentioned that the first significant update will arrive "soon." "However," he said, "before enhancing performance, we also need to resolve the balance problems we experienced in the previous races. Once we address that, it will make sense to move forward. We will certainly bring updates, but ultimately I believe everyone else will do the same. Right now, we’re not overly focused on the championship."