Ferrari travelled to the Austrian Grand Prix hoping to build on the momentum generated by its impressive victory in Barcelona. Instead, the Red Bull Ring exposed a number of weaknesses that prevented the SF-26 from challenging at the front, leaving Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc well behind Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren over the course of Sunday’s race.
Although Ferrari showed encouraging pace in qualifying, the Grand Prix itself told a very different story. Lewis Hamilton crossed the finish line in fifth place, while Charles Leclerc slipped to eighth despite starting from the front row. The disappointing result highlighted that Ferrari’s one-lap speed was not matched by competitive race pace, with tyre management, balance and straight-line performance all emerging as significant concerns.
Lewis Hamilton identifies Ferrari’s biggest problems in Austria
Following the race, Lewis Hamilton gave a detailed assessment of Ferrari’s difficult afternoon and explained that the SF-26 never felt comfortable on any of the tyre compounds available throughout the race. According to the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, every stint presented the same underlying issues, making it impossible to build consistent pace despite the team’s efforts to adapt throughout the Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton also noted that the extremely high track temperatures only made Ferrari’s situation more complicated. Combined with the car’s handling characteristics, the conditions accelerated tyre degradation and significantly reduced the team’s ability to challenge its closest rivals over longer stints.
Tyre degradation quickly changed Ferrari’s race
Starting from third on the grid, the Briton initially looked capable of fighting George Russell after moving ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc during the opening phase of the race. Ferrari briefly appeared to have the pace to remain in contention near the front, offering hope that the Scuderia could build on its strong qualifying performance.
However, that optimism quickly disappeared. Lewis Hamilton explained that rear tyre degradation became increasingly severe regardless of which tyre compound Ferrari selected. He also revealed that the SF-26 suffered from an unstable rear end, making the car unpredictable and increasingly difficult to control as each stint progressed.
The balance issues meant that confidence behind the wheel steadily disappeared, forcing Lewis Hamilton to manage the tyres rather than push at the limit. As a result, Ferrari gradually lost contact with the leading group and was unable to challenge Mercedes, Red Bull or McLaren during the second half of the race.
Straight-line speed added to Ferrari’s difficulties
Tyre degradation was not the only concern raised after the Austrian Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton also pointed to Ferrari’s lack of straight-line speed, revealing that the team had already identified a significant deficit during Friday’s practice sessions.
According to the British driver, Ferrari appeared to be losing several tenths of a second on the straights compared to its closest rivals, something that became even more noticeable on a circuit where engine performance plays such an important role. He stressed that understanding the reasons behind that deficit would become a priority before the next round of the championship.
Beyond the lack of top speed, Lewis Hamilton also indicated that Ferrari simply could not generate enough grip to remain competitive over a race distance. The combination of reduced grip, rear instability and rapid tyre degradation ultimately prevented the SF-26 from maintaining the pace required to fight consistently at the front.
Lewis Hamilton praises Ferrari’s effort despite disappointing result
Despite a frustrating afternoon, the seven-time world champion was keen to recognise the work carried out by the Ferrari team throughout the weekend. While acknowledging that fifth place fell well short of the team’s expectations, he praised the mechanics and strategists for their commitment during a difficult event and expressed appreciation for the effort that continued behind the scenes.
The seven-time world champion also pointed out that, although the final result was disappointing, every championship point remains valuable over the course of a long Formula 1 season. Ferrari therefore leaves Austria determined to analyse the extensive data gathered at the Red Bull Ring in order to understand why the SF-26 performed so differently compared to the race-winning package seen in Barcelona.
With the British Grand Prix at Silverstone now approaching, Ferrari faces a crucial opportunity to respond. Solving the tyre degradation issues, improving rear-end stability and recovering the straight-line performance lost in Austria will be essential if Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are to return to fighting near the front of the Formula 1 field in the coming races.
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