Lewis Hamilton has made it clear where Ferrari must focus its efforts after a frustrating Miami Grand Prix weekend exposed one of the SF-26’s most persistent weaknesses. Despite Ferrari arriving in Florida with one of the most aggressive upgrade packages of the season, the Scuderia left the weekend with more questions than answers, particularly regarding straight-line performance and overall race competitiveness.
For Lewis Hamilton, the Miami weekend never truly came together. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion endured a difficult pair of races that left him largely isolated in the midfield battle, unable to challenge the frontrunners or mount a meaningful recovery. Although the final classification improved slightly after Charles Leclerc received a post-race penalty, the overall result did little to change the broader picture.
Ferrari’s extensive development push had raised expectations heading into the Miami Grand Prix. The team introduced 11 separate upgrades to the SF-26 in an attempt to improve aerodynamic efficiency, cornering performance, and overall lap-time potential. However, while some progress appeared visible in specific phases of the lap, Ferrari continued to suffer where modern Formula 1 races are often won or lost: top speed and straight-line efficiency.
Lewis Hamilton wants Ferrari to solve its drag problem
Looking ahead to the Canadian Grand Prix — a circuit where straight-line speed and acceleration are especially critical — Lewis Hamilton reportedly made it clear that Ferrari must address the drag characteristics of the SF-26 if it wants to be more competitive.
The British driver’s concerns are particularly significant given Montreal’s layout, which heavily rewards efficient low-drag configurations, strong traction, and effective energy deployment. Any weaknesses Ferrari displayed in Miami could become even more visible there if solutions are not found quickly.
Lewis Hamilton indicated that while he remained eager for the next challenge, Ferrari needed to carefully analyse whether the SF-26 could shed some aerodynamic resistance before arriving in Canada, as the straight-line deficit against rivals remained too obvious to ignore.
Miami frustration exposed Ferrari’s deeper issues
The Briton’s race was made even more difficult by first-lap contact that damaged his car and compromised performance for the remainder of the Grand Prix. Reports suggested the impact cost the Ferrari a significant amount of aerodynamic load, making an already difficult afternoon even more challenging.
That context explains some of the performance drop-off, but not all of it. Even before factoring in race damage, Ferrari’s inability to consistently challenge Mercedes and other front-running teams reinforced the growing sense that the SF-26 still has important structural weaknesses.
Charles Leclerc once again emerged as Ferrari’s benchmark across much of the weekend, extracting more from the package in qualifying and showing stronger pace overall. Yet even Charles Leclerc could not fully mask Ferrari’s limitations, particularly when compared with the pace advantage demonstrated by Mercedes in key moments.
For Lewis Hamilton, the Miami weekend reportedly felt like a race in isolation — too slow to fight at the front, but with enough pace to remain detached from the cars behind, creating the kind of “no-man’s land” Grand Prix every competitive driver finds deeply frustrating.
With Ferrari continuing to chase solutions both aerodynamically and mechanically, the pressure is building. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc need a car capable of fighting consistently at the sharp end, and unless Ferrari resolves its straight-line performance issues quickly, the Canadian Grand Prix could provide another uncomfortable reality check.
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