Ferrari’s team boss, Fred Vasseur, is feeling optimistic about the team’s 2025 car, calling it a significant upgrade from last year’s model. This positive outlook comes despite an abrupt finish to their testing, caused by a snag involving Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton was simulating a race when Ferrari called him back to the garage due to some unusual telemetry data. With the team opting to wrap up early, there was a sense of anticlimax. But Vasseur remains upbeat, particularly about the winter enhancements like the front suspension upgrades, which he believes mark an advancement.
“Getting a true sense of how things stand here in Bahrain has been tough,” Vasseur remarked. “The conditions were volatile, shifting from one day to the next, and fluctuating within the day. It felt more like being in Vegas than the Bahrain we know. We’ve invested serious effort in the car over these past six months and have seen noticeable progress, but we’ll get a clearer picture once we hit the track together in Melbourne.”
Reflecting on the previous years’ standings, Vasseur noted, “Today’s pecking order doesn’t always carry over to qualifying a week later under the same conditions. We’re moving from a track temperature of 10-15 degrees Celsius here to 45 degrees in Australia, so Melbourne might tell a different tale.”
With a focus on competing for both championships, Vasseur is confident in the team’s two capable drivers and is encouraged by the team’s upbeat spirit. They’re working tirelessly to be ready for the season opener in two weeks.
In other gripping developments, Netflix has dropped the trailer for the much-anticipated “Drive to Survive Season 7,” and George Russell managed to edge out Max Verstappen as testing concluded in Bahrain.
As for Hamilton, he wasn’t too fazed by the early stop on Friday as he gears up for his maiden race with Ferrari in Australia. “Overall, it’s been an outstanding few days marked by substantial team progress,” Hamilton commented. “Though we had to wrap up slightly earlier, and the unpredictable weather played a part, this is all part and parcel of testing. We’ve gleaned a wealth of valuable insights to carry forward into the season.”
He went on to commend his team’s phenomenal efforts and expressed his eagerness to start racing in Melbourne.
While Hamilton’s excitement is evident at Ferrari, Mercedes also experienced a sense of progress, especially after Russell topped the timesheets on the last day.
Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ trackside engineering director, shared his thoughts: “It’s been a robust three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain. Our team put in immense effort over the winter to address the W15’s weaknesses, and early indicators suggest we’ve made meaningful strides with our 2025 car.”
Despite some interruptions from red flags and unexpected rain, the team managed to execute most of their program—a testament to the diligent work by everyone at Brackley and Brixworth, who saw the highest lap count among teams during testing.
Next week, the focus will be on analyzing this data to pinpoint areas for improvement, ensuring the best possible race car rolls out during the Melbourne season opener. While it’s too soon to predict the competitive landscape accurately, there’s satisfaction in how testing went and excitement for the 2025 season launch in Australia.
