Ferrari endured a difficult second practice session at the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton finishing sixth and Charles Leclerc seventh as both drivers struggled to find sufficient grip in the SF-26 at Interlagos. Lewis Hamilton ended FP2 0.450 seconds behind session leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli, while Charles Leclerc was 0.720 seconds off the pace, leaving the Maranello team with considerable work to do before Saturday.
The problems affected both qualifying simulations and longer runs, although Ferrari showed some more encouraging signs during its race-pace preparations. With rain expected at Interlagos on Saturday, however, the competitive picture could change significantly. The Scuderia must now focus on improving its car’s balance and tyre performance overnight, hoping to recover the competitiveness needed to challenge nearer the front.
Brazilian GP FP2 analysis: Ferrari struggles to build on opening practice
The first free practice session had highlighted some encouraging characteristics of the SF-26, particularly over a single lap. However, Ferrari encountered greater difficulties during its race simulations, with Lewis Hamilton repeatedly complaining about a lack of grip. The problem had a significant impact on his long-run performance.
Charles Leclerc did not participate in FP1, having been replaced by Dino Beganovic following the birth of the Monegasque driver’s first daughter. The Swedish driver completed a different programme from Lewis Hamilton, including aerodynamic tests using measuring rakes fitted to the car during the opening stages of the session.
That meant Ferrari approached FP2 with an additional challenge: understanding the performance of both regular drivers after they had completed different amounts of running earlier in the day. The second session was therefore particularly important for establishing what the Italian team could realistically achieve during the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend.
Unfortunately, the difficulties experienced by Lewis Hamilton in FP1 continued to affect both cars, with the drivers reporting problems that suggested Ferrari had yet to find a satisfactory operating window for its tyres.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc report grip and braking problems
Ferrari began FP2 with both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc running on medium tyres. During his opening laps, the Monegasque driver reported that something felt unusual with the brakes, while his teammate also struggled to feel comfortable behind the wheel of the SF-26.
Lewis Hamilton’s main concern was the behaviour of the tyres, with the seven-time world champion unable to establish the level of confidence and grip he wanted from the car.
After the first ten minutes, Charles Leclerc occupied seventh position and Lewis Hamilton was eighth, with both drivers almost a second slower than Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s provisional benchmark.
The lack of grip appeared to be a recurring problem for Ferrari, mirroring the difficulties already experienced during the opening practice session. Neither driver initially looked capable of matching the leading pace, although both subsequently improved their lap times.
Charles Leclerc climbed to fifth position, approximately six tenths behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli, while Lewis Hamilton moved up to eighth, around eight tenths away from the top of the timesheets. Both Ferrari drivers then returned to the garage as the team prepared for the next phase of its programme.
The recurring balance and grip concerns underline the importance of the technical development and setup work surrounding Ferrari’s SF-26, particularly at a circuit where mechanical grip and driver confidence are essential through the slower corners.
Ferrari’s soft-tyre qualifying simulations fail to close the gap
Approximately 35 minutes into the session, Lewis Hamilton returned to the circuit for his qualifying simulation on the softest available compound. The British driver completed his first attempt and moved into sixth position, 0.450 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who continued to hold the fastest time.
Charles Leclerc subsequently joined the track on a fresh set of soft tyres. His opening flying lap placed him seventh, behind his Ferrari teammate, with a deficit of approximately eight tenths to the benchmark.
However, the Monegasque driver’s attempt was affected by a misunderstanding with Rafael Câmara’s Haas in the final sector, costing him valuable time during the closing part of the lap.
Charles Leclerc made another attempt and improved his personal best by approximately one tenth of a second. Nevertheless, the SF-26 continued to struggle on the soft compound, with neither Ferrari driver able to challenge the leading positions.
The session ultimately ended with Lewis Hamilton sixth and Charles Leclerc seventh, confirming that Ferrari still had a considerable deficit to address in outright lap-time performance.
Although the two drivers were separated by 0.270 seconds in the final classification, the traffic encountered by Charles Leclerc and the continuing grip problems make it difficult to draw definitive conclusions about their relative performance.
Ferrari shows better long-run pace despite traffic problems
After completing his qualifying simulation, Lewis Hamilton returned to the track for a race-pace run on medium tyres. Charles Leclerc followed a few minutes later, choosing the soft compound for his longer stint.
The opening phase of Lewis Hamilton’s run proved difficult, and after approximately six or seven laps he returned to the pits. Ferrari then switched the British driver onto soft tyres, allowing him to continue his race simulation on the same compound as his teammate.
Charles Leclerc’s initial laps on the soft tyres were encouraging, suggesting that the SF-26 was behaving better over a longer distance than it had during the qualifying simulations. However, traffic subsequently interrupted his rhythm and affected his lap times.
Lewis Hamilton also produced some competitive early laps after switching compounds, but he encountered traffic as well, preventing him from maintaining a consistent sequence of representative times.
Overall, Ferrari appeared more comfortable during its race simulations than during its single-lap runs, although the SF-26 still did not seem to match the performance of the leading cars.
The differences between compounds, observed stint pace and traffic-affected laps are important when interpreting practice results. The F1 Practice & Long-Run Analysis tool provides additional context for comparing practice performance without assuming identical fuel loads or run programmes.
For Ferrari, the more encouraging long-run behaviour offers something to build on, but the team still needs to understand why its drivers are struggling to extract performance from the SF-26, particularly over a single lap.
Why the Ferrari SF-26 needs overnight improvements at Interlagos
The central problem throughout Friday’s running was the lack of grip reported by both Ferrari drivers. This affected their confidence behind the wheel and contributed to the significant time deficit recorded during the qualifying simulations.
Charles Leclerc’s early braking concerns added another complication, while Lewis Hamilton continued to struggle with the tyre behaviour that had already troubled him in FP1.
The Scuderia’s engineers must therefore use the available data to optimise the car’s setup overnight, with the objective of improving grip, balance and overall performance before Saturday’s running.
Although the longer stints provided some more positive indications, the team cannot rely solely on those signs. Ferrari must find a way to improve its qualifying performance without sacrificing the more encouraging behaviour observed during parts of its race simulations.
The challenge is particularly demanding at Interlagos, where the circuit’s combination of slower corners, changes of direction and acceleration zones places considerable importance on traction and tyre management.
Rain could change Ferrari’s prospects for Brazilian GP qualifying
Despite Ferrari’s difficult Friday, there is one important variable that could significantly influence the remainder of the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend: the weather.
Rain is expected at Interlagos on Saturday, potentially changing the conditions in which Ferrari, Mercedes and their rivals must operate. A wet circuit would introduce different grip demands and could alter the competitive order established during dry practice.
The possibility of changing conditions adds to the tyre-management and heavy-rain challenges expected at the Brazilian Grand Prix, making preparation particularly important for every team.
For Ferrari, rain could provide an opportunity for the competitive picture to change, although there is no guarantee that wet conditions would favour the SF-26. The team’s immediate priority remains improving the car rather than relying on the weather to close the gap.
With Lewis Hamilton sixth and Charles Leclerc seventh in FP2, Ferrari heads into Saturday facing a clear challenge. The SF-26 has shown occasional encouraging signs over longer runs, but its persistent lack of grip and difficulties on the soft tyres have left the Scuderia behind the leading contenders.
Whether Ferrari can make the necessary improvements overnight, and how much the expected rain influences the weekend, will be central to determining its prospects at Interlagos.
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