New Delhi: Lewis Hamilton is excited for the 2026 Formula 1 season to start again as Ferrari aims to catch up to championship leaders Mercedes before the Miami Grand Prix. After a tough 2025 season, Ferrari has shown signs of progress under the new rules. Hamilton and his teammate Charles Leclerc have each earned podium finishes in the first three races.
Reflecting on the mid-season break, Hamilton said, “Everyone’s had a chance to review what happened in the first three races. Everyone’s had more time to refine the car. I just feel ready for the second shot at it.”
Ferrari is currently in second place in the Constructors’ standings behind Mercedes.
Meanwhile, Hamilton and Leclerc are third and fourth respectively in the drivers’ championship, behind Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. While they expect to have upgrades in Miami, Ferrari is also looking for chances in the upcoming ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) window to close the performance gap.
Hamilton recognised the challenge they face, especially regarding engine performance. “I think it’s a big ask.
“Firstly, I’m really thankful for all the hard work. I’ve been back at the factory every week during this break, and I’ve seen how hard the team has been working to deliver an upgrade. There’s a significant amount of work involved in building these components and in the high quality they produce, so I’m incredibly thankful to everyone at the factory for that.
“I think there is a power gap between the Merc and us, and probably the Ford as well.
“To close that gap means we have to develop twice as much as the others each time, which is a big ask.
“You have to assume everyone’s developing at a similar rate because of the new rules. If a team improves by a tenth, we need to improve by two. If they improve by two, we need to bring three or four.
“That’s a lot. I think we just need to keep pushing to eventually close the engine gap.”
Hamilton’s season so far has been a mix of ups and downs. After finishing fourth in Australia and finally earning his first Ferrari podium in China, he had a tough weekend in Japan, finishing sixth. However, a post-race analysis revealed underlying issues that affected his performance.
“I think it’s helped everyone to step back and take a look at their first few races,” he said.
“In the last race, I felt we were lacking power. We did a thorough investigation and found it wasn’t just the engine but the overall system, with several factors combining to cost us eight to nine tenths on straight-line power.
“We’ve addressed that, working on the simulator and at the factory every week. We’re training a lot, and I feel very ready for the weekend.”
(IANS)
