Ferrari endured another difficult session at the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton suffering power unit problems that brought his final practice session to an early end. Charles Leclerc finished fifth in FP3 at Interlagos, 0.274 seconds off the fastest time, while Lewis Hamilton could manage only 12th, 1.211 seconds adrift. Ferrari also decided to replace the internal combustion engines (ICE) on both SF-26 cars, resulting in 10-place grid penalties for both drivers.
The problems are particularly concerning ahead of qualifying, with Ferrari still struggling to find a satisfactory balance despite overnight setup changes. Although the SF-26 showed some improvement in lap times, both drivers continued to report poor handling, while Lewis Hamilton’s technical difficulties raised further questions about the condition of his car.
Ferrari continues to struggle with grip and balance at Interlagos
The opening two free practice sessions highlighted significant difficulties for Ferrari, both over a single lap and during race-pace simulations. A lack of grip was one of the main weaknesses of the SF-26, preventing Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc from extracting the performance needed to compete near the front.
Neither driver was comfortable with the car’s behaviour, and Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur acknowledged the difficulties at the end of Friday’s running.
“The drivers are not happy. Charles did not take part in FP1, we had a couple of problems and there is a lot of work to do to prepare for Saturday. The balance was not good and the track surface has practically opposite characteristics to what we encountered a week ago in Mexico. I am no less optimistic than I was last week,” Fred Vasseur explained.
Ferrari’s engineers therefore faced the task of finding improvements before FP3 and qualifying. The possibility of rain also remained an important variable, with changing conditions potentially playing a decisive role in both qualifying and the race. The challenges presented by the circuit and the weather were already among the key concerns in the build-up to the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix weekend.
Ferrari changes both engines as Lewis Hamilton suffers power unit problems in FP3
At the beginning of the final practice session, confirmation arrived that Ferrari would replace the internal combustion engine in Lewis Hamilton’s SF-26, a change carrying a 10-place grid penalty. Surprisingly, Charles Leclerc was also set to receive a new ICE, with the Monegasque facing the same penalty.
The decision added another complication to an already challenging weekend for Ferrari, particularly after the power unit concerns surrounding Lewis Hamilton following the Mexican Grand Prix.
Ferrari began its FP3 programme on medium tyres. The SF-26 appeared to have improved in terms of lap times following the overnight setup work, although the drivers’ feedback suggested that the handling problems had not been completely resolved.
Lewis Hamilton soon reported “strange vibrations” coming from the power unit, accompanied by excessive engine braking. Following the seven-time world champion’s radio message, he returned to the pits, where Ferrari’s mechanics removed the rear section of the left-hand sidepod to inspect several components.
Charles Leclerc was equally dissatisfied with the behaviour of his car. During a flying lap, the Ferrari driver complained over the radio: “The car is horrible,” before returning to the pit lane.
Smoke and an unusual noise force Lewis Hamilton to end FP3 early
Despite the difficulties, Ferrari appeared to have made some progress in improving grip, although the SF-26 continued to struggle through the slower sections of Interlagos, as did several other cars. Charles Leclerc also made further adjustments to the rear-end setup in an attempt to improve the car’s handling.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton returned to the track after the initial checks, with Ferrari attempting to establish whether the problems had been resolved. However, the situation deteriorated when an unusual noise was heard and smoke emerged from the engine cover, forcing the British driver to return to the garage.
Lewis Hamilton had to climb out of the cockpit so the mechanics could investigate the abnormalities and carry out further checks. His session was effectively over, leaving Ferrari with additional concerns ahead of qualifying.
The interruption was particularly frustrating given the team’s need to assess its performance after a difficult start to the weekend. The remaining preparation time was also important for understanding whether the setup changes had delivered meaningful improvements, with comparisons of the practice sessions available through the F1 Practice and Long-Run Analysis.
Charles Leclerc finishes fifth but delivers a harsh verdict on Ferrari’s SF-26
While Lewis Hamilton remained in the garage, Charles Leclerc continued working through Ferrari’s programme. Only during the final 15 minutes did the Monegasque switch to the soft compound for a qualifying simulation.
His lap was enough to put him fifth in the standings, just 0.274 seconds away from the fastest time. However, the relatively small gap did little to improve his assessment of the car’s behaviour.
After completing his qualifying simulation, Charles Leclerc delivered a particularly critical message over the team radio.
“We are nowhere. A very, very, very difficult feeling. An insanely difficult feeling. I know it’s only two tenths, but it feels like we’re one and a half seconds off. Horrible.”
Charles Leclerc subsequently completed another flying lap and managed to improve his first-sector time, but he was unable to lower his overall lap time.
The result left Ferrari with contrasting concerns heading into qualifying. Charles Leclerc had demonstrated that the SF-26 could produce a reasonably competitive lap despite its difficult handling, while Lewis Hamilton had lost valuable track time because of the technical problems affecting his car.
With both drivers also facing grid penalties following the engine changes, Ferrari’s immediate priority was to resolve the outstanding issues and extract the best possible performance from the SF-26 in qualifying. The team now faces the challenge of turning its apparent improvement in grip into a more consistent and manageable car, while ensuring Lewis Hamilton’s power unit problems do not cause further disruption.
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