Onboard video: Lewis Hamilton’s Miami GP start and costly collision with Franco Colapinto. Miami GP onboard: how Lewis Hamilton's race was ruined in a single lap.

Early drama in Florida: Hamilton’s uphill battle caught on camera

The latest onboard footage from the Miami Grand Prix provides a definitive look at the split-second incident that effectively ended Lewis Hamilton’s hopes of a podium finish. Starting in the thick of the pack, the seven-time world champion found himself navigating a chaotic opening sequence as the field squeezed through the tight confines of the Miami International Autodrome.

As the video reveals, the drama began almost immediately. Following a spin by Max Verstappen ahead, the pack bunched up, leading to a high-stakes game of inches. In the scramble for track position, the Briton’s Ferrari SF-26 made contact with the Alpine of Franco Colapinto. While the impact appeared relatively minor to the naked eye, the technical data tells a much more devastating story for the Maranello-based squad.

The 20-point aero deficit

Post-race analysis confirmed that the brush with the Alpine caused significant damage to the crucial aerodynamic surfaces of the Ferrari. Specifically, the Maranello team reported a loss of approximately 20 “points” of downforce. In the world of modern Formula 1, where ground-effect floors and bargeboard sensitivities are paramount, such a deficit is catastrophic. It fundamentally altered the balance of the SF-26, leaving Lewis Hamilton to battle a car that was “nervous” and unpredictable for the remaining 56 laps.

Despite the handicap, the Briton’s experience was on full display as he nursed the damaged car to a seventh-place finish. The onboard perspective highlights just how much work the Briton had to do behind the wheel, constantly correcting for a lack of front-end grip and aerodynamic instability. Without this early-lap misfortune, the pace suggests the Scuderia could have been firmly in the mix with the leaders.

This footage shows that even a minor miscalculation at the start can lead to a massive performance drop-off, turning a potential victory charge into a grueling exercise in damage limitation for the rest of the afternoon.