Lewis Hamilton’s spectacular start to the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix quickly turned into a frustrating collapse in performance, with Ferrari’s aggressive tyre pressure strategy emerging as a key explanation. Team principal Fred Vasseur acknowledged that the Scuderia’s approach had helped the seven-time Formula 1 world champion during the opening laps but ultimately compromised his grip and competitiveness as the track began to dry.
What initially looked like an inspired decision became a significant disadvantage later in the stint. Ferrari appears to have prioritised rapid tyre warm-up and early positions by running higher pressures in the Intermediate tyres, only for the same characteristics to contribute to overheating and a loss of performance. The dramatic change in Lewis Hamilton’s pace highlights just how delicate tyre management proved to be during the rain-affected Brazilian Grand Prix.
Why Ferrari’s higher tyre pressures helped Lewis Hamilton at the start
Lewis Hamilton’s remarkable getaway at Interlagos may not have been entirely down to the British driver’s skill in difficult conditions. The available clues suggest that Ferrari inflated the Intermediate tyres above the minimum prescribed pressures, aiming to gain positions immediately after the start.
Simone Berra, Pirelli’s chief engineer, had previously explained why teams might adopt this approach when racing on a wet circuit.
“In wet conditions, increasing the pressure helps reduce the contact patch and speed up the warm-up process, because more heat is generated. This helps the tyre become ready more quickly at the start or in the opening laps when it is raining. If the ambient temperatures drop, the tyre remains warm.”
The principle involves inflating the tyre more, almost like a balloon, reducing the surface area in contact with the asphalt. This increases deformation as the tyre runs, generating heat and helping the compound reach its operating temperature more quickly.
Higher tyre pressures can also improve water evacuation. A more inflated tyre effectively opens up its tread pattern, allowing it to disperse water more efficiently, particularly through high-speed corners.
“When there is a lot of water on the track, higher pressures are preferable because they tend to open up the tread blocks slightly and evacuate water more easily,” Simone Berra explained. “Running at the minimum pressures certainly helps provide a larger contact patch with the ground, but on the other hand, it does not evacuate as much water, increasing the risk of aquaplaning.”
Another advantage of higher inflation pressures is the additional structural support they provide in high-speed corners, improving steering precision.
Overall, Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton benefited from this aggressive approach during the opening laps. The strategy helped the British driver make rapid progress, but the situation deteriorated as the circuit began to dry.
Fred Vasseur explains why Ferrari’s tyre pressure gamble backfired
The same tyre characteristics that helped Lewis Hamilton produce his outstanding start eventually became a serious problem. Higher pressures allow Intermediate tyres to warm up more quickly, but when there is insufficient water on the circuit, they can also cause rapid overheating.
Speaking to Sky, Fred Vasseur acknowledged the trade-off involved in Ferrari’s decision.
“It was probably a question of tyre pressures,” the Ferrari team principal explained. “There is a positive side and a negative side, as with every choice. It went very well at the start, but not quite so well in the middle of the stint. You can’t have a first lap like that and then not pay some price for it.”
As the track conditions changed, Lewis Hamilton began losing grip and performance. The seven-time world champion eventually found himself being overtaken by the same cars he had passed during his impressive opening laps.
The situation demonstrated how a tyre setup designed to provide an immediate advantage can become counterproductive when the conditions no longer favour it. Ferrari’s decision had delivered the intended early benefits, but those gains proved difficult to sustain.
Simone Berra had previously highlighted the importance of choosing lower starting pressures when teams expect a circuit to dry during the race.
“If you know the track is going to dry, you start with the minimum prescribed pressure; otherwise, it would then shoot through the roof. If, on the other hand, there is constant rain or the possibility of further showers for a certain period, higher pressures are preferable, especially at the front.”
Ferrari chose to pursue an aggressive strategy to recover positions, taking into account the SF-26’s lack of straight-line speed and the fact that race control would disable Overtake Mode in wet conditions.
The team’s recorded straight-line speed figures can be explored through the ScuderiaFans F1 Top Speed Comparison, which allows drivers’ maximum speeds to be compared across different sessions.
The result was a gamble that initially paid off but ultimately contributed to Lewis Hamilton’s sudden loss of competitiveness during the opening stint at Interlagos.
Charles Leclerc experienced the opposite tyre problem in Brazil
Tyre pressures were a central issue throughout Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix, and Lewis Hamilton was not the only Ferrari driver affected by difficult tyre behaviour.
After switching to slick tyres, Charles Leclerc encountered the opposite problem. The Monegasque struggled to bring his tyres up to the correct operating temperature at the beginning of the stint, limiting his initial performance.
However, the situation eventually provided an advantage. Once the tyres reached the appropriate temperature, Charles Leclerc experienced very limited degradation, allowing him to extend his stint until the rain returned towards the end of the race. The contrasting experiences of Ferrari’s two drivers demonstrated how tyre temperature and pressure management could influence performance in completely different ways. Lewis Hamilton enjoyed an early advantage before suffering from overheating, while Charles Leclerc initially struggled with warm-up but benefited from better tyre preservation later in the stint.
The different approaches to compound management and stint length can also be explored through the F1 Tyre & Stint Analysis, which provides comparisons of tyre strategies and performance during the 2026 season.
Mercedes and Max Verstappen also struggle with tyre pressures at Interlagos
Ferrari was far from the only team to experience difficulties with tyre inflation pressures during the São Paulo Grand Prix.
At different stages of the race, Max Verstappen and the Mercedes drivers reported unusual handling characteristics, particularly when running on Intermediate tyres.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli even described a car that tended to pull towards the right, raising the possibility of a structural suspension problem. After the race, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff offered his assessment of the team’s difficulties.
“I think we got something wrong with the pressures or the setup, because looking at the car, the rear tyres are completely worn out, while the fronts are like new.”
Tyre pressures therefore represented a complex puzzle for several teams throughout the Brazilian Grand Prix. Finding the correct compromise between rapid warm-up, water evacuation, grip and long-term tyre performance proved particularly difficult as conditions changed.
That challenge also made McLaren’s execution all the more impressive, with Lando Norris delivering a flawless race in demanding circumstances.
For Ferrari, however, the race provided another example of how an aggressive technical decision can produce immediate gains while creating serious problems later on. Lewis Hamilton’s flying start demonstrated the potential benefits of higher tyre pressures, but the subsequent collapse showed just how costly the compromise could become as the Interlagos circuit dried.
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