The debut of Ferrari’s new aerodynamic package in Miami has delivered a mixed picture, with both positives and concerns emerging from the opening sessions. While Charles Leclerc has endorsed the technical direction taken by the Scuderia, Lewis Hamilton has openly expressed his disappointment, admitting that the overall feeling with the car is still far from ideal.
For the Miami Grand Prix, Ferrari introduced a series of aerodynamic updates that, at least for now, do not appear to have fully delivered the expected results. However, this situation requires a more detailed and nuanced analysis, especially considering that a large portion of the grid has also brought upgrades to this event.
A clear example of this is McLaren, which has effectively reshaped the competitive landscape by emerging as the benchmark team on the American circuit. This represents a shift compared to the opening races of the season and adds further pressure on the Maranello-based outfit to respond quickly.
Looking at the words of the Ferrari drivers, a sense of frustration and disappointment can be detected, even though both remain determined not to lose hope. Confidence remains in the potential of the car over the remainder of the weekend, with the primary objective being to capitalize on race pace and any opportunities that may arise during the Grand Prix.
Miami GP – Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton: “I hoped it would be better”
Lewis Hamilton’s comments do not offer particularly encouraging signals. Speaking to F1TV, the British driver described his impressions behind the wheel of the SF-26 following the introduction of the upgrades. “I didn’t really know what to expect,” the seven-time world champion began.
“I hoped it would be better,” he added, “the car didn’t give me great sensations, honestly.” As highlighted earlier, the upgrades have not yet lived up to expectations, and the team is now trying to understand whether other circuits might better suit the characteristics of this new package.
“Well, I have no idea. I thought we would be stronger than we were today. We’ll do some work during the evening to try to understand why we weren’t that fast.” He concluded with a note of cautious optimism: “But I still want to stay optimistic, we can be much higher up, today just didn’t go well.”
Miami GP – Charles Leclerc contradicts Hamilton: “The upgrades worked well”
Charles Leclerc provided a more detailed and structured analysis, largely confirming what had already been suggested by team principal Fred Vasseur. According to the Monegasque driver, the upgrades represent a step in the right direction, although not yet sufficient to close the gap to direct rivals.
Also speaking to F1TV, Charles Leclerc explained: “The upgrades worked well, it’s just that everyone brought them, so we more or less expected this kind of situation where Mercedes probably still has the car to beat.” He also highlighted McLaren’s progress: “They made a big step forward, but I think they didn’t fully optimize their first races of the season. They’ve always been there.”
Charles Leclerc’s account aligns closely with that of the Ferrari team principal, while adding further technical insight: “On our side today, we struggled with the tyres. The mediums were working very well, while with the softs we didn’t have good feelings. So we need to look into what happened.”
The issue appears clear: Ferrari is losing time over a single lap, particularly due to the two long straights that characterize the Miami circuit. The strength of the SF-26 lies in the more technical, twisty sections, and there are also signs of competitiveness in race pace at this track. Leclerc confirmed this, although he acknowledged that further work is still required.
“I think in qualifying tomorrow we can try to use something to find a bit more performance, but I still hope that in the race we can move back to the front,” Charles added. He concluded with a determined outlook: “We have the pace to do it, and we’ll see if we can also be brave when it comes to overtaking.”
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