Fred Vasseur reveals Lewis Hamilton’s “survival race” in Miami: car damage and engine overheating. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur describes Lewis Hamilton’s Miami Grand Prix as a “survival race".

The Ferrari team principal highlights Hamilton’s race struggles

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur underlined the significant difficulties faced by Lewis Hamilton during the Miami Grand Prix, describing a race that was anything but straightforward for the British driver.

A very difficult Miami Grand Prix for Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton eventually finished the Miami Grand Prix in sixth position, benefitting from a penalty applied to Charles Leclerc, at the end of a race in which the Ferrari driver was never truly able to fight at the front.

Hamilton damaged his SF-26 during a first-lap collision with Franco Colapinto, and on top of that, Frederic Vasseur revealed that throughout the race the seven-time world champion had to carefully manage the temperature of his power unit, which was prone to overheating.

“Hamilton had a lot of problems,” Fred Vasseur said to Sky. “It was a race of survival until the end, it was really tough. He lost aerodynamic load and had to protect the power unit because it tended to overheat due to the temperature.”

This grueling performance in Florida underscores the fine margins Ferrari is currently operating within as they attempt to balance peak performance with mechanical reliability. With the team forced to manage both physical aerodynamic damage and thermal constraints in Miami, the upcoming technical reviews in Maranello will be crucial for ensuring Lewis Hamilton has a more robust platform for the next leg of the 2026 Formula 1 season.