Why Lewis Hamilton was 12 front-wing clicks away from his ideal Ferrari setup in Austin

Lewis Hamilton has revealed just how far his Ferrari SF-26 was from his preferred set-up during the 2026 United States Grand Prix, explaining that he effectively started the race 12 front-wing clicks away from what ultimately proved to be the ideal configuration. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion had already struggled extensively with the car’s balance throughout the Austin weekend.

Lewis Hamilton struggles with Ferrari SF-26 setup in Austin

From Friday at the Circuit of the Americas, Lewis Hamilton made no secret of the significant set-up problems affecting his Ferrari, admitting that he had taken the car in the wrong direction. Changes made ahead of Saturday appeared to have worked, and Lewis Hamilton said he was satisfied with the work completed by the team overnight.

However, the problems returned during Sunday’s race. Lewis Hamilton again highlighted the recurring Ferrari balance issue that affected him during the opening two stints, with the Briton suffering from severe understeer. He was forced to make front-wing adjustments during both pit stops in an attempt to bring the SF-26 back into an acceptable operating window.

Lewis Hamilton eventually crossed the line in fourth place, reducing his deficit to George Russell, who sits second in the Drivers’ Championship, to just two points.

Lewis Hamilton was 12 front-wing clicks away from his ideal setup

Lewis Hamilton later compared the sensations he experienced in Austin with those he had encountered at Silverstone. On both occasions, Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc had gone onto the track with substantially more front wing on his car, while Lewis Hamilton struggled to generate the front-end response he needed.

Comments reported by The Race subsequently revealed an important detail: Lewis Hamilton had started the United States Grand Prix with his Ferrari’s front wing adjusted a long way from what eventually proved to be the optimal setting.

“During the first pit stop I added four clicks of wing,” Lewis Hamilton explained. “At the next stop I added another four. And even then I was still four clicks behind. It’s crazy to be 12 clicks down. We really need to understand how we got to that point.”

The issue was particularly significant because the Ferrari SF-26 upgrades introduced in Austin had strengthened the rear of the car. That development required additional front wing to move the aerodynamic balance forward and restore the balance Lewis Hamilton needed.

Ferrari’s overall performance during the Grand Prix nevertheless showed that the updated car had considerable potential. Charles Leclerc finished second while Lewis Hamilton took fourth, with the Scuderia’s improved Sunday performance also reflected in the team’s Austin race-pace analysis. For Lewis Hamilton, however, the weekend underlined how costly an incorrect baseline set-up could become when the SF-26’s aerodynamic characteristics changed.