“We need to improve on this” – Lewis Hamilton and Carlo Santi reflect on P4 finish in Australia. After the Australian GP, Lewis Hamilton and race engineer Carlo Santi attribute the gap from P1 to the missed pit stop under Virtual Safety Car.

Hamilton restarts from P4

In the weeks leading up to the Australian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton showed optimism and confidence in Ferrari and his own form. The seven-time world champion appeared rejuvenated after the holidays, following a somewhat lackluster 2025 season. At Melbourne, this motivation was clear: Lewis Hamilton was visibly more competitive, closing in on Charles Leclerc. Only six tenths—practically a lap considering the pace of the two Ferrari drivers—kept him from securing his first podium in a Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton was making his debut with new race engineer Carlo Santi. After a challenging year with Riccardo Adami, the Englishman seemed much calmer on the radio—though it was just the first race, so it is still too early for final judgments. Santi repeatedly encouraged Hamilton during the final stint, where he was the fastest on track. After the checkered flag, Santi offered another comment that will motivate Lewis Hamilton heading to China: the 15-second gap to George Russell was due to the missed pit stop under the Virtual Safety Car (VSC).

The team radio

Santi: “Fantastic race, very solid, the second stint was extremely fast. Russell P1, Antonelli P2, Charles P3, and we are P4.”

Hamilton: “Great job guys, really great job, I’m really proud of all the work we’ve done. Thanks to everyone who stayed at the factory. Solid result, solid points. Let’s keep pushing.”

Santi: “Thanks, Lewis.”

Hamilton: “From P7 to P4 is good. How far ahead were they?”

Santi: “15 seconds. Basically, it was because of that pit stop.”

Hamilton: “Yes. We need to improve on that, mate.”

Santi: “In the last stint, you were by far the fastest. And in the first, you were stuck behind Charles.”

Post-race reflections

It is worth noting that Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur stated in post-race comments that the missed pit stop under the VSC due to Isack Hadjar’s engine failure did not change the direction of the Grand Prix. There remains a strong suspicion that Mercedes had significantly more pace to exploit and would likely have finished ahead of Ferrari regardless.

Lewis Hamilton’s first race with the SF-26 proved that while the driver is firing on all cylinders, the team’s strategic execution still has room for refinement. The 15-second deficit to his former teammate George Russell might sting, but the raw pace displayed in the final stint suggests that the Hamilton-Ferrari partnership is becoming a force to be reckoned with.