Jérôme D’Ambrosio realistic on Ferrari’s deficit to Mercedes after Monaco GP podium. Ferrari focused on progress despite Mercedes advantage, says D’Ambrosio.

Heading into the weekend, expectations surrounding Scuderia Ferrari were sky-high. Their rivals had heavily tipped the Italian team as the outright favorites for victory around the tight streets of Monaco. For the Tifosi, it was another chapter in a patient waiting game for a Monte Carlo triumph, a drought that has now spanned more than 30 races.

While the ultimate victory eluded them, there is a distinct feeling—if not an absolute certainty—that leaving the Principality with anything more than today’s second-place finish was simply mathematically impossible. Lewis Hamilton delivered a stellar drive in the SF-26 to finish as the best of the rest, primarily because Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli operated on an entirely different planet.

To put the teenage sensation’s dominance into perspective, just a few laps before the Safety Car was deployed to clear Lance Stroll’s crashed Aston Martin at the Anthony Noghes corner, Kimi Antonelli had managed to lap every single car on the grid except for the two trailing Ferraris of Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

D’Ambrosio praises Hamilton’s form but acknowledges Mercedes’ step ahead

With this latest podium finish, Hamilton confirms his excellent current vein of form as he grows increasingly in tune with his new machinery. Following the checkered flag, Ferrari Deputy Team Principal Jérôme D’Ambrosio spoke to Sky Sports F1 to provide his post-race analysis.

“From Lewis’s perspective, we’ve seen it for a few races now, he’s gaining confidence with the car, he’s comfortable,” D’Ambrosio noted. “The gap to Antonelli’s Mercedes is there, but let’s say that for the moment we are maximizing and he maximized what he could”.

The Belgian official emphasized that the British veteran is firmly getting to grips with the SF-26 platform. “Lewis is taking control of the SF-26,” D’Ambrosio continued. “We focus race by race, we try to make the most of what we have. The World Championship is very long, Mercedes is a step ahead, we must keep pushing to close the gap to them and fight to win”.

Full support for Leclerc after mechanical heartbreak at Anthony Noghes

Ferrari appeared well on track to secure a highly lucrative double-podium finish, but the afternoon fell apart on lap 66. Just moments before the Safety Car neutralization came to an end, Leclerc lost control and went straight into the wall at that very same Anthony Noghes corner.

“I think it’s important to clarify that when you touch the wall there are often different reasons. It’s not just or necessarily down to mistakes,” D’Ambrosio was careful to point out. “Clearly today there was something that didn’t work the way it should have. For our part, regarding the next races, we will continue to support Charles 100%, we will do so just as we do for our drivers. We will go back home, analyze what happened and understand what will be the best path to follow”.

Grounded expectations ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona

The Formula 1 paddock will now quickly transition from the glamorous Principality to Granollers, the home of the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Despite Ferrari’s generally strong run of form, D’Ambrosio was determined to keep his feet firmly on the ground to prevent media hype from building up unnecessarily.

“Barcelona? One race at a time,” the former F1 driver cautioned. “What is certain is that there isn’t a 100% correlation between what we expected at certain races and what actually happened. So it’s still very early in the championship, but also in the regulations, in terms of seeing the cars on certain circuits. We will need to arrive in Barcelona with an analytical mindset, without too many expectations, because that can make you react poorly during the weekend. We will need to be as focused and neutral as possible to make the most of what we have in our hands”.

Jérôme D’Ambrosio’s measured post-race assessment therefore outlines Ferrari’s highly disciplined and analytical approach to the remaining 2026 world championship. While Lewis Hamilton’s brilliant optimization of the SF-26 package provides a strong baseline of performance, the Scuderia must focus on resolving the technical anomalies that ruined Charles Leclerc’s home race as they head to the more traditional proving grounds of Barcelona.