Lewis Hamilton has revealed that Ferrari’s upgrade for the 2026 United States Grand Prix in Austin is expected to deliver a gain of just half a tenth of a second, while Red Bull have now matched the Scuderia’s cornering performance and remain three to four tenths faster on the straights. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion praised the work carried out by the Milton Keynes team but admitted that Ferrari’s latest development is unlikely to be enough on its own to close the gap.
Lewis Hamilton responds to Isack Hadjar’s claim about Ferrari
“Max Verstappen would have won by an even bigger margin in Singapore with the Ferrari.” Isack Hadjar’s comments during the press conference ahead of the United States Grand Prix did not go unnoticed. Asked about the Red Bull driver’s assessment, Lewis Hamilton expressed a different opinion while highlighting the exceptional work carried out by the Milton Keynes-based team over the years.
“First of all, I think Isack is an extraordinary driver. We’ll have different opinions on that point. Ultimately, they’ve done an extraordinary job. Red Bull have done an extraordinary job for many, many years. They continue to surprise me. I have huge admiration for them.
“Many, many years ago, when I was younger, I said: ‘There’s no way they can do what the other teams do, like McLaren with all their heritage and Ferrari with all their history.’ But they did it, and they proved me wrong. They’ve continued to achieve extraordinary success over the years.”
Lewis Hamilton praises Red Bull’s engine and remarkable progress
Lewis Hamilton’s admiration extends to Red Bull’s power unit, an area in which he had previously doubted that the team could match manufacturers with the resources and experience of Mercedes and Ferrari.
“With the engine, I thought it would be impossible for anyone to build a better engine than, for example, Mercedes or Ferrari could produce with the resources, experience and know-how they have. Yet, once again, they’ve proved us all wrong. They’ve built the best engine. They’ve had the best engine this year.
“Obviously, they’ve had a slightly inconsistent start. But, as you saw last year, they have an extraordinary car. They have exceptional drivers. They clearly have excellent leadership. And I think they’re going to be very, very difficult to beat.”
The competitive picture is particularly significant for Ferrari, which has been working to improve the SF-26 and reduce the deficit to its rivals. The team’s Austin development package arrives as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton look to challenge Red Bull more consistently.
Ferrari’s Austin upgrade worth just 0.05 seconds as Red Bull close cornering gap
Lewis Hamilton also explained that Red Bull’s advantage is no longer restricted to the straights. During the previous Grand Prix, the Milton Keynes team had matched Ferrari’s performance through the corners, an area that had previously been one of the Scuderia’s principal strengths.
“In the last race, they were as fast as us through all the corners, and that has always been our strength. So now they’re matching us in the corners, and they’re three or four tenths faster on the straights.
“This weekend, we have a very, very small upgrade. It’s less than a tenth. It’s something like half a tenth. So I don’t think that necessarily gives us enough of a boost to close that gap.”
His assessment underlines the limited performance gain Ferrari expects from its latest update compared with the advantage Red Bull has demonstrated. The challenge is especially relevant after Ferrari’s second-place finish with Charles Leclerc in Singapore, which provided encouragement ahead of the next stage of development.
Lewis Hamilton hopes Austin characteristics could favour Ferrari
Despite his cautious assessment of the upgrade, Lewis Hamilton has not ruled out Ferrari being competitive at the Circuit of The Americas. He believes the characteristics of the Texas venue could potentially suit the SF-26, while a change in the form of Red Bull or Mercedes might create an opportunity.
“But maybe the circuit suits our car well, and maybe they’ll have a weekend that isn’t in line with their last two. Maybe Mercedes will have another below-par weekend, and we’ll be there ready to take advantage of the opportunity.”
Ferrari therefore heads into the United States Grand Prix with cautious expectations. Lewis Hamilton’s comments suggest that the small improvement expected from the Austin update will not necessarily eliminate Red Bull’s advantage, leaving the Scuderia hoping that circuit characteristics and the relative performance of its rivals will provide an opportunity to fight closer to the front.
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