Ferrari introduced a new rear suspension upgrade for the Belgian Grand Prix, aiming to close the gap with McLaren. They tested the new suspension on a filming day earlier this week, and the team were cautiously optimistic about the results.
However, after a shaky sprint qualifying session, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton had opposing views on how the new suspension felt.
Lewis Hamilton’s not happy despite the upgrades
Sprint qualifying wasn’t the smoothest for any of the top teams, including Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton was pushed into the drop zone in SQ1, but looked like he’d be able to make it out before spinning out in the final chicane and finishing P18.
After qualifying, Hamilton was visibly upset. He was asked how the car felt, to which he responded “not great,” before further voicing his frustration.
“Obviously, I’m massively frustrated. A lot of work has gone in, and to be there is not really great, so hopefully tomorrow will be better,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1.
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Hamilton, who was on sprint pole in China earlier this year, has yet to find himself back on the podium since the second round of the season. It doesn’t look like a return to the podium will come tomorrow, but he hopes he can learn from sprint qualifying and turn things around for the sprint race and qualifying on Saturday.
Charles Leclerc “felt the changes” despite the large gap to McLaren
On the other hand, his teammate Charles Leclerc seemed much happier with the new suspension. Leclerc qualified P4 and was seven tenths off the pace, but said he could feel the changes in the car and is sure they’ve taken a step forward. McLaren is just in a league of their own.
“I felt the changes, but today the gap was huge,” Leclerc told Sky Sports F1. “I’m sure we did a step forward, but for some reason, the McLaren seems to be even faster than usual around this track!
“So it’s a bit disappointing on that side of things, but what we are searching for with the upgrades, we had it, but it’s a shame to have such a difficult qualifying session, especially in terms of gaps.
A mixed Sprint Quali for the team in Spa 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/XnRMnqdJqf
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) July 25, 2025
“The feeling was pretty good. I’m happy the car feels better but even though the car feels pretty good, we are still seven tenths off. A lot of work that needs to be done. We just need to add grip to the car that we don’t seem to have for now.”
The goal of the new upgrades was to address the ride height issues Ferrari have been experiencing all season and provide them with new options for their setup, which they hope will translate to increased pace in the second half of the season. Leclerc seems quite happy with the upgrade, but Hamilton is still fighting to get a grip on the SF-25.
