The Miami Grand Prix leaves Ferrari with more questions than answers. After a promising opening phase of the race, the Scuderia showed clear weaknesses in tyre management and in direct comparison with Mercedes-powered rivals.
The Miami GP told a two-sided story for Ferrari. In the first part of the race, the performance of the two cars appeared quite different from each other; in the closing stages, however, the overall result levelled out, delivering a generally disappointing picture.
Charles Leclerc started from third position and for much of the race managed to defend it, even attempting to close in on the leading group. A podium remained a realistic target until the final stages, underlining a solid and combative performance. A different story for Lewis Hamilton, who never managed to climb out of the sixth to seventh position range. His race was subdued, never matching his teammate’s pace and showing clear difficulties in race rhythm.
Miami GP, Vasseur: are contradictions emerging?
In the post-race analysis, team principal Fred Vasseur reviewed the team’s performance, initially focusing on Leclerc’s race before extending his comments to the issues experienced by the second car. However, his statements also highlighted some contradictions that emerged over the weekend.
During earlier sessions, Fred Vasseur had pointed out that Ferrari was losing around one tenth on the straights compared to Mercedes-powered cars, while at the same time describing the race pace as positive, as seen in both practice and the Sprint Race.
One important factor to consider is the change in conditions: between Friday and Saturday temperatures were higher, while during the race they dropped, with the added uncertainty of rain influencing strategies and car behaviour. However, the post-race analysis became more critical.
The French manager admitted that the qualifying gap was not limited to just one tenth, but instead ranged between one and two tenths. He also acknowledged that in Sunday’s race Ferrari showed issues not only on the straights but also in overall race pace, going beyond a simple power unit limitation.
Miami GP, Vasseur: “A very intense race”
The interview with Sky Sport F1 opened up broader questions: is the main issue related to the power unit alone, or does it concern the entire car package? And more importantly, is the championship still open, or is a clearer hierarchy already emerging in the 2026 season?
“It was a very intense and difficult race to interpret. In the first part, when we were leading, we were able to maintain position. Then the safety car came out and the race changed completely. Others were able to use overtake mode and we lost positions. From that moment on it became much more complicated.”
He then went into more detail:
“We suffered a lot from overheating, especially of the rear tyres. There was a clear difference between the first laps, up to the safety car, and the rest of the race. This is something we need to learn from: we need to fix this problem, especially since we had similar feelings yesterday. The first part of the stint was very good, while in the second we dropped off.”
Miami GP, Fred Vasseur analyses Ferrari’s problems
Attention then shifted to Ferrari’s underlying weaknesses, focusing on what is currently missing from the Maranello team’s package.
“The main problem of the weekend was consistency in race pace. When we had clean air we were competitive and able to hold others behind. But as soon as we entered traffic, with a less favourable track position, we struggled much more.”
The engine remains a key limitation, with the team expected to wait until June for developments from ADUO. However, Fred Vasseur stressed that the issue is broader:
“We do not have an advantage on the straight, that is clear. And when you are in close combat it becomes easy to lose positions when others use overtake mode.”
“But it is not only a power unit issue, it is the whole package. We need to work on every aspect. The positive thing is that we led the race with a certain margin, so the potential is there. The problem is that we lost the lead at the worst possible moment and from there the race became complicated. Now we must focus on the next races and bring upgrades as soon as possible.”
However, to answer one of the initial questions, Fred Vasseur admits the championship is still open, as it is only the beginning of the season. He acknowledges Ferrari’s issues and stresses the need for maximum focus in solving them.
Regarding Lewis Hamilton, he added:
“It was very difficult for him. He had several issues, including high engine temperatures, and had to manage his pace to avoid damage. For him it was almost a survival race until the end.”
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