Hamilton: “Since Barcelona, we’ve been using an aggressive hybrid control unit mapping”
Following his memorable victory at the Spanish Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton arrives at the Red Bull Ring with renewed confidence in Ferrari’s technical progress, while keeping his expectations firmly grounded. Speaking to the media, including ScuderiaFans.com, on Thursday ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion reflected on the emotions of his Barcelona triumph and discussed the development path that has helped the Maranello team establish itself among the front-runners during his second season in red.
The Barcelona triumph and the overwhelming support
Hamilton admitted that winning in Spain carried special meaning, not only because of the result itself but also because of the incredible wave of support he received afterwards. The affection shown by Ferrari fans and friends deeply touched the British driver once the race weekend had come to an end.
“It means so much to me. That’s why I keep reposting the fans’ content. People ask me what I do after winning a race. I go home and spend hours on the sofa reposting all the amazing stories and messages I receive. It was almost overwhelming to experience so much love after this victory in red.”
Returning to the top step of the podium inevitably brings enormous pressure and emotion. Hamilton revealed what was going through his mind during the closing laps in Barcelona, where the reliability of the SF-26 was his biggest concern while leading the race.
“In those final laps, I was just hoping everything would hold together, keeping my fingers crossed that the car would make it to the finish. Over the years, I’ve experienced everything—gearbox failures, engine problems, hydraulic issues, battery failures and brake troubles. You start thinking about every single thing that could possibly go wrong.”
Beyond the technical concerns, Hamilton’s attention was fully focused on avoiding even the smallest mistake that could have cost him victory.
“When you’re driving, every decision you make on track is crucial—where you brake, how you turn the car in, making sure you don’t make any mistakes. I knew those points were vital for the team in the Constructors’ Championship. On the final lap, I tried not to let myself relax until I was absolutely certain. I saw the crowd at Turn 12 and thought, ‘Oh my God,’ but then reminded myself there were still two corners left. Only after I crossed the finish line in first place and saw the team leaning over the pit wall was I finally able to relax.”
Technical development: the driver’s role at Maranello
Ferrari arrives in Austria with an updated version of its power unit. Asked how much influence the drivers have on the development of the engine and electronic systems, Hamilton was keen to highlight the work carried out by the engineers in Maranello, explaining how the collaboration within the racing department works.
“When it comes to the engine, there isn’t a huge amount of work that the driver is directly involved in. The guys back at the factory identify where the performance deficit is, and they use their expertise to figure out what changes are needed to unlock more potential.”
Even so, the driver’s contribution remains essential when it comes to drivability and communicating how the car behaves on track.
“From the driver’s point of view, every weekend we sit down in the debriefs and give feedback on what we’re feeling—the drivability, how the car reacts when we’re partially on the throttle, the gear changes and the gearbox ratios. Those are things we discuss regularly. We push for changes in those areas, or at least highlight them, so the engineers can test different solutions in the simulator to find lap time. Sometimes we also talk about lacking battery energy on the straights compared to our rivals. We sit down and discuss everything, but people have to understand that it takes months to approve changes while ensuring they remain reliable. The most incredible thing is that the team has managed to give us a solid car that we can now build into a genuine front-running package.”
The ECU mapping compromise and the challenges of Spielberg
Hamilton explained that Ferrari has invested considerable effort into refining its software management in order to reduce clipping—the loss of electric power at the end of the straights—without compromising the car’s balance on corner exit.
“In Barcelona we approved a very aggressive control unit mapping for the hybrid system, but that required an enormous amount of work on engine braking and the car’s response during transitional phases. When you change the way the electric torque is delivered, you risk destabilising the rear of the car on corner entry.”
Another crucial factor this weekend is cooling, which is always particularly challenging at the Red Bull Ring because of the circuit’s higher altitude and thinner air.
“Here in Spielberg, the altitude completely changes the picture because of the lower air density. It’s not only about cooling the ICE (internal combustion engine), but also making sure the MGU-K doesn’t overheat. We’ve had to sacrifice a little aerodynamic performance by opening up additional cooling exits in the bodywork compared to Spain, because reliability remains our absolute priority if we want to fight at the front on a circuit that is both short and extremely demanding on the mechanical components.”
No title talk: one race at a time
Despite Ferrari’s encouraging progress, Hamilton continues to take a cautious approach. In complete agreement with teammate Charles Leclerc, he has no interest in looking too far ahead in the championship standings, choosing instead to focus on each race weekend as it comes.
“I’m not thinking about the championship. I’m focused on each individual race, preparing in the best possible way and executing everything correctly. We had good pit stops, a good strategy, and everyone was completely aligned in Barcelona. Maintaining that level of consistency every weekend is what matters most—not thinking about what might happen fifteen races from now.”
Although the gap to Kimi Antonelli has been reduced to 41 points, Hamilton insists his attention remains entirely on the task ahead, refusing to be distracted by the upcoming European races, including his home Grand Prix.
“I’m not thinking about Silverstone right now—I’m thinking about tomorrow. I take things one day at a time. I’m incredibly proud of everyone back at the factory. Every single person is contributing something, and everyone is pushing even harder than before. We’ve seen an incredible positive evolution that we had been asking for over a long period, and seeing it culminate in victory at Barcelona was fantastic. We know we simply have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.”
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