Lewis Hamilton endured one of his most frustrating Formula 1 weekends since joining Ferrari, with the Miami Grand Prix exposing several weaknesses that continue to limit the SF-26 in demanding conditions. While Ferrari arrived in Florida hoping to continue building momentum in the 2026 Formula 1 season, the weekend instead highlighted ongoing concerns surrounding tyre management, overheating issues, and inconsistent race pace.
According to Sky Sports commentator David Croft, Ferrari sporting director Diego Ioverno used a single word to summarize the core of Lewis Hamilton’s struggles around the Miami International Autodrome: overheating.
The explanation came after a difficult weekend in which Lewis Hamilton consistently lagged behind teammate Charles Leclerc across both qualifying and race conditions.
Charles Leclerc comfortably outpaced Lewis Hamilton throughout Miami weekend
From the very beginning of the Miami Formula 1 weekend, Charles Leclerc appeared significantly more comfortable with the balance and behaviour of the Ferrari SF-26. The Monegasque driver maintained an advantage over Lewis Hamilton in virtually every competitive session.
During Sprint qualifying, Charles Leclerc finished roughly four-tenths of a second faster than Lewis Hamilton, while the gap remained close to three-tenths during Grand Prix qualifying later in the weekend.
Although Lewis Hamilton eventually finished ahead of Charles Leclerc in Sunday’s final classification, that result came only because of the post-race penalty handed to the Ferrari teammate rather than outright on-track pace.
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion struggled to extract consistent performance from the Ferrari package, particularly during long runs where tyre degradation and rear overheating became increasingly problematic.
Miami Sprint exposed Ferrari’s rear tyre problems
The Sprint race provided the clearest indication of Ferrari’s deeper issues.
Lewis Hamilton became involved in an aggressive battle with Max Verstappen, losing valuable time while fighting the Red Bull driver. Although Max Verstappen was eventually instructed to hand the position back after leaving the track during an overtake attempt, the incident still disrupted Lewis Hamilton’s race rhythm.
The Ferrari driver hesitated slightly when Max Verstappen slowed approaching the final corner because he wanted to avoid crossing the overtake detection line in the wrong position. That brief moment proved costly.
Once Max Verstappen regained the advantage on the following lap, the Red Bull driver quickly pulled away, finishing nearly eight seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton by the chequered flag.
More concerning for Ferrari, however, was the enormous gap to the front-running cars. Lewis Hamilton crossed the line more than 21 seconds behind Sprint winner Lando Norris and approximately 15 seconds adrift of Charles Leclerc.
Those numbers immediately raised concerns inside the paddock about Ferrari’s tyre management in extreme temperatures.
Diego Ioverno reportedly confirmed the overheating issue
Ahead of Grand Prix qualifying, David Croft revealed that he briefly spoke with Ferrari sporting director Diego Ioverno in the paddock regarding Lewis Hamilton’s difficult weekend.
According to the Sky Sports commentator, David Croft asked directly whether Lewis Hamilton’s issues were connected to tyres. Diego Ioverno reportedly responded by saying “overheating” while dramatically raising his arms, making it clear that rear tyre temperatures were at the centre of the Maranello team’s struggles.
The Miami weekend featured track temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius during several sessions, creating brutal conditions for tyre preservation and energy management. For Ferrari, those conditions appeared particularly damaging. The SF-26 struggled to maintain rear tyre stability over longer stints, reducing traction on corner exits and making it difficult for Lewis Hamilton to consistently attack without overheating the tyres further.
Damage and battery concerns made matters worse on Sunday
Lewis Hamilton’s Grand Prix became even more complicated after first-lap contact with Franco Colapinto left the Ferrari carrying aerodynamic damage.
The incident reduced downforce and compromised the car’s balance for the remainder of the race, effectively condemning Lewis Hamilton to a lonely drive outside the fight for the podium positions.
However, tyre overheating was not the only concern Ferrari needed to manage during the race. Throughout the final stint, Lewis Hamilton was repeatedly instructed to lift and coast in order to reduce temperatures and protect the car’s systems — an uncomfortable reminder of the reliability management issues Ferrari experienced during parts of the 2025 Formula 1 season. At the same time, the Briton continued reporting problems related to battery deployment and energy delivery, complaining multiple times about a lack of electrical power during key phases of the race.
The issue appeared very similar to the battery deployment concerns Lewis Hamilton had already encountered earlier in the season during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend.
Could upcoming Formula 1 races create similar problems for Ferrari?
The Italian side will hope the Miami Grand Prix represented an isolated setback rather than the beginning of a worrying trend.
The next Formula 1 round in Canada may naturally reduce some of the overheating pressure because of cooler ambient conditions. Nevertheless, the heavy traction zones at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve could still punish Ferrari’s rear tyres during acceleration.
Other races later in the season may prove even more problematic. The Spanish Grand Prix, with its long high-speed corners and demanding thermal characteristics, could expose similar weaknesses to those seen in Miami. The Hungarian Grand Prix may also become a major test because of its historically high track temperatures and traction-heavy layout.
For Lewis Hamilton, the Miami weekend represented another reminder that adapting to Ferrari will not be a straightforward process. While the start of the season showed encouraging signs, recent races suggest that both driver and team still have significant work to do if Ferrari wants to consistently challenge Mercedes, Red Bull, and McLaren at the front of the Formula 1 grid.
As the championship battle intensifies, Ferrari’s ability to solve these overheating and energy management problems could ultimately define whether Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc remain genuine contenders throughout the remainder of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
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