Lewis Hamilton was delighted after qualifying on the front row at Sepang, dedicating Ferrari’s second-place result to the mechanics and engineers working both at the circuit and back at the Maranello factory. Despite the SF-26’s power and straight-line-speed deficit to Red Bull, Ferrari’s strength through the corners and an exceptional lap from the seven-time world champion helped the team find the final tenths needed to secure second on the grid.
If one emotion could describe Lewis Hamilton after qualifying in Malaysia, it would be happiness. That second place, around three tenths away from pole position, represented far more than an individual result for the British driver. It reflected the work carried out by Ferrari’s technicians at the track and at Maranello as they continue trying to improve the SF-26 during a season in which the team has also had to deal with considerable negativity from outside.
Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari build their lap very differently from Red Bull
The qualifying result highlighted two very different ways of producing lap time. Red Bull was particularly effective through the slower sections and, above all, on the straights, an area where the car performs strongly when the FIA permits a favourable amount of electrical energy, measured in megajoules, to be deployed.
Ferrari followed almost the opposite route. The SF-26 made its biggest difference through the fast section of the second sector, where Lewis Hamilton actually set the benchmark time. It was another indication of something that has repeatedly emerged during the 2026 season: Ferrari possesses a strong chassis, while the bigger weakness remains the power unit.
The contrast can also be explored through the ScuderiaFans F1 Top Speed Comparison, particularly on a weekend when Ferrari’s losses on the straights have been so clearly balanced against its performance through the corners.
Behind the scenes, work is continuing to improve the Ferrari power unit for next year. The same broad theme was also visible at Sepang with Audi and Aston Martin. Both the Hinwil and Silverstone teams are regarded as having competitive chassis, while their engines remain a limiting factor. Even so, the R26 reached Q3, while both AMR26 cars progressed into Q2, further demonstrating how clearly chassis quality emerged around the Malaysian circuit.
Lewis Hamilton dedicates Ferrari’s front row to the team
“I didn’t expect to be on the front row, but it’s really a great reward for the mechanics. Everyone is working so hard in these hot garages throughout the whole weekend. The mechanics and engineers have also done a really excellent job,” Lewis Hamilton explained after qualifying, underlining both the unexpected nature of the result and the amount of work required behind the scenes to find those crucial tenths.
The British driver then told Sky: “There are so many people working together in this sport to be in sync. The target is almost invisible and what is visible moves at the speed of light, so it’s difficult to reach it. For us, this is a huge result.”
His thoughts then turned specifically to the staff working at Ferrari’s Maranello base.
“I want to sincerely thank the team at the factory, because all that negativity affects them more than it affects us. They are the ones who turn up every day and give everything they have. We are not where we want to be, but we cannot blame them after all the hard work they are putting in.”
For Lewis Hamilton, the work taking place behind the scenes also extends beyond the immediate development of the current SF-26.
“There are things we don’t even know about. They are doing so much work to upgrade the power unit for next year. There has already been a huge improvement compared with last year. Last year we weren’t fighting for the front row, we weren’t fighting for victories, so we have to keep working.”
Ferrari’s development direction and the technical characteristics behind the SF-26 can be followed further in the ScuderiaFans Ferrari technical analysis section.
Ferrari finally extracts the final tenths in qualifying
The satisfaction of the seven-time world champion was unmistakable. It also came at an important moment for Ferrari after several disappointing recent results, particularly in qualifying. The shortage of engine power had certainly played a role, but there had also been clear difficulties in extracting the final tenths of performance from the tyres.
At Sepang, Lewis Hamilton succeeded in doing exactly that. Charles Leclerc described his teammate’s lap as superb, and there was good reason for that assessment. The British driver managed the sections where he needed to attack and those where tyre management was required exceptionally well, finding the confidence through the second sector to exploit the SF-26’s aerodynamic load and one of Ferrari’s greatest strengths in Malaysia.
The qualifying result also adds another significant chapter to the season-long comparison between Ferrari’s two drivers, which can be followed through the Charles Leclerc vs Lewis Hamilton F1 head-to-head statistics.
Lewis Hamilton warns Ferrari must manage Sepang tyre degradation
Despite the encouraging front-row result, Lewis Hamilton remains cautious about Ferrari’s race prospects.
“I think I can be very happy with today. In the last race we weren’t quick in the race, so I don’t know what our pace will be tomorrow. What I do know is that we have this top-speed deficit. Basically, it means that we are slightly quicker in the corners, but then we lose a lot on the straights.”
That trade-off becomes particularly important at Sepang because tyre degradation is so severe. Ferrari must use its cornering performance to compensate for what it loses in a straight line, but pushing harder through the corners inevitably places more stress on the tyres.
“On a track like this, where degradation is extremely high and the tyres are constantly heating up, we have to push harder through the corners to try to compensate for what we lose on the straights. That’s exactly what we need to be careful not to overdo tomorrow, so that we don’t degrade the tyres too much and can try to stay ahead.”
Tyre behaviour has been one of the central Ferrari themes throughout the Sepang weekend, with the characteristics of the Malaysian circuit potentially giving the SF-26 a different opportunity compared with recent events. The reasons behind that possibility were already examined in detail in the analysis of why Pirelli’s Sepang compounds may suit Ferrari better than Baku.
Lewis Hamilton sees an opportunity if Ferrari can lead at the start
Ferrari has generally looked more convincing over longer runs than over a single qualifying lap. Lewis Hamilton nevertheless believes Max Verstappen may possess enough race pace to pull away if Red Bull is able to control the Grand Prix from the front.
The situation could change significantly if the British driver manages to take the lead at the start, even though he will begin from the dirtier side of the grid. From there, Ferrari’s ability to manage its tyres while exploiting the SF-26’s cornering strength could become crucial.
“I think we’ll just have to run our own race, whatever the pace is, without focusing too much on pushing beyond the limit just to stay attached. I think Max generally has the pace to pull away, but if things are different at the start and we can stay there and be in the fight, that would be fantastic. We can only do our best, and tomorrow I’ll give everything.”
For Ferrari, second on the grid therefore represents both an unexpectedly strong qualifying result and a reward for the work being carried out across the team. Lewis Hamilton’s lap demonstrated how competitive the SF-26 can be when its cornering performance is fully exploited, but the race will demand a delicate balance between using that strength and protecting the tyres from the heavy degradation expected at Sepang.
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