Lewis Hamilton has admitted that Ferrari faces significant work to improve its performance ahead of qualifying for the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix after a difficult Friday at Interlagos. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion finished sixth in FP2, 0.450 seconds behind Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli, as the SF-26 struggled with the circuit’s bumpy, slippery surface and tyre operating temperatures.
The British driver had shown more encouraging pace during the opening session, finishing fourth in FP1, but found the afternoon running considerably more challenging. Ferrari’s difficulties with car balance and tyre performance contrasted with its stronger results in recent races, leaving the Maranello team searching for answers before Saturday.
Lewis Hamilton explains Ferrari’s Brazilian GP FP2 struggles
Ferrari was unable to reproduce the competitiveness it had demonstrated in recent Grands Prix during Friday’s running in São Paulo. The Brazilian circuit exposed weaknesses in the SF-26’s balance, with the team struggling to bring its tyres into their ideal operating window.
Lewis Hamilton identified the uneven track surface and low grip levels as important factors behind the difficulties experienced during the two practice sessions.
“It was a demanding day. The track is very bumpy and slippery, and that made it difficult to get the tyres into the right operating window. Overall, the first session went reasonably well, while the second was more complicated. We collected a lot of useful data, so this evening we’ll work together as a team to analyse it and understand where we can improve ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying.”
The contrast between the two sessions was reflected in Hamilton’s positions. Fourth place in FP1 suggested a relatively encouraging start, but sixth in FP2, with a deficit of four and a half tenths to Andrea Kimi Antonelli, underlined the challenge facing Ferrari.
Finding the correct tyre operating window is particularly important because the available grip depends on how effectively the car brings the tyres to a suitable temperature and maintains that condition throughout the lap. When the balance is not working as intended, extracting consistent performance becomes more difficult.
The performance differences between the sessions can also be explored through the F1 practice and long-run analysis, which allows comparisons of practice lap times and performance across different stints.
Ferrari seeks tyre and balance improvements before Interlagos qualifying
Hamilton’s comments highlight the extent of Ferrari’s setup challenge. The SF-26 did not appear as competitive as it had been during the previous races, with the Interlagos asphalt making it difficult to achieve an effective balance and manage the tyres within their preferred operating range.
The seven-time world champion nevertheless emphasised that Friday’s running had provided valuable information. Ferrari intends to examine the collected data to identify where improvements can be made before the fight for grid positions.
The team’s task is particularly important given the gap to the leading Mercedes. Although Hamilton’s FP1 performance was more encouraging, the second session indicated that Ferrari had not yet found the consistency or outright speed required to match the fastest cars.
The Maranello team must therefore use the remaining preparation time to understand the SF-26’s behaviour on the Brazilian surface and determine which changes could help improve its performance.
Lewis Hamilton meets Fred Vasseur and Charles Leclerc after Mexico controversy
Alongside Ferrari’s technical difficulties, Lewis Hamilton also faced questions surrounding his relationship with team-mate Charles Leclerc following the events of the Mexican Grand Prix.
After making particularly strong comments to journalists on Thursday at Interlagos, the British driver met with Charles Leclerc and Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur to clarify what had happened in Mexico.
The Briton has not yet publicly commented on the outcome of those discussions. However, both Vasseur and Leclerc indicated that the matter had been resolved and that the team was ready to move forward. The meeting followed the recent tensions between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc ahead of the São Paulo Grand Prix, which had brought Ferrari’s internal driver management into focus.
One issue that remains unchanged is the question of specific racing rules between the two drivers. Hamilton had expressed a desire for clearer rules of engagement, but Ferrari has not introduced further detailed guidelines.
Instead, Fred Vasseur has made clear that he considers additional rules unnecessary. His position contrasts with the earlier discussion surrounding possible Ferrari racing rules following the Mexican Grand Prix. For the Italian team, the immediate priority is now to move beyond the controversy while addressing the performance difficulties encountered during Friday’s running.
Hamilton hopes Ferrari can recover ahead of Brazilian GP qualifying
With FP1 and FP2 completed, Ferrari faces an important period of analysis before the final preparations for qualifying. Lewis Hamilton remains hopeful that the information gathered during Friday’s sessions will help the team identify improvements.
His assessment makes clear that the opening session offered some encouragement, but the afternoon exposed more substantial difficulties with the SF-26’s balance and tyre performance. Ferrari must now translate its data into a more competitive setup if Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are to challenge the leading teams at Interlagos.
The remaining sessions, including final practice, qualifying and Sunday’s Grand Prix, are detailed in the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix weekend schedule.
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