Lewis Hamilton has lifted the lid on what is happening behind the scenes inside Ferrari’s Maranello factory, underlining the extraordinary effort being made by the team ahead of the Miami Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion stressed the scale of the work carried out in preparation for a major upgrade package designed to help the SF-26 fight more closely with Mercedes.
Speaking on the eve of the 2026 Miami Grand Prix, Hamilton explained how Ferrari has been fully committed to delivering a significant development package that could allow the SF-26 to take a step forward in performance and reduce the gap to its main rivals. “There is a huge amount of work…” Hamilton said, highlighting the intensity of Ferrari’s push.
Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, appeared optimistic ahead of the Miami weekend regarding the upgrades brought by Ferrari. While the gap to Mercedes is expected to remain, it should be slightly reduced. The weekend is also shaping up to be highly complex, with every team bringing a heavily updated package to the track. Several unknown factors remain, starting with the weather forecast for Sunday. Another key element concerns the regulatory changes related to energy management introduced on April 20. The Briton addressed these topics when speaking to the media.
Hamilton: “I have been in the simulator practically every week”
“I have been in the simulator practically every week, I have been at the factory every week, and I have done a lot of training and preparation, revisiting the first three races and especially the last one, trying to understand everything. First of all, I am really grateful for all the hard work that has been done. I have been back at the factory every week during this break and I have seen how hard the team has worked to complete the upgrade. There is an enormous amount of work behind building these components and the quality with which they are produced. So I am incredibly grateful to everyone working at the factory for this,” Lewis Hamilton said.
After a 200 km filming day, it was necessary to cross-check the data to validate the aerodynamic updates, including the important evolution of the so-called Macarena wing. These developments could potentially deliver a performance step forward. However, despite the extensive work carried out in Maranello, it is still unlikely that Ferrari will be able to match Mercedes already in Miami.
At Ferrari’s headquarters, development is also focused on a new power unit, as the estimated 30-horsepower deficit can only realistically be closed through engine improvements.
“I believe there is a power gap compared to Mercedes. To close that gap, we need to double our development compared to others, which is a very difficult task. You have to assume that everyone is developing at a similar rate because these are new regulations. So if one team gains a tenth of a second, we need to gain two. If they gain two, we need to gain three or four. It is a lot. We must continue to push as hard as possible to eventually close the gap on the power unit side,” Lewis Hamilton explained.
Finally, Lewis Hamilton also addressed the issues experienced in Japan, when his SF-26 stopped working due to reasons that were not clearly explained by the Italian team. The British driver has now clarified the situation and ruled out any reliability problem with the power unit.
“I left the circuit feeling like we were lacking power. It wasn’t the engine, but there were certain things, a combination of factors, that were costing me up to eight or nine tenths per lap. We have fixed those things and moved past them. Now, with the regulation changes, it will be interesting to see what difference they make,” the Briton concluded.
This latest series of updates and driver insights underscores a pivotal moment in the 2026 championship, as teams push the boundaries of technical innovation to close the performance gap. From Ferrari’s aggressive aerodynamic “Evo” package and power unit rumors to the outspoken concerns of veteran drivers regarding the sport’s current direction, the paddock remains a hive of strategic maneuvering. The true pecking order will only be revealed once the lights go out, making every session a critical test of adaptability and raw speed.
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