Lewis Hamilton has made it clear that he is "revved up" for the restart of the 2026 Formula 1 campaign, a sentiment he voiced as Ferrari strives to narrow the gap to championship‑leading Mercedes. After a challenging 2025 season, Ferrari entered the new regulatory era on a more optimistic note before the sport’s mandatory April hiatus, securing podium finishes in each of the first three rounds – one with Hamilton and two with Charles Leclerc. Now, five weeks later and on the eve of the Miami Grand Prix, Hamilton reflected on the break and the work that has taken place. He said, "Everyone’s had a chance to go over what happened in the first three races.
Everyone’s had more of an intense time to work on refining the car. I just feel fired up for the second stab at it." His remarks capture both the analytical review of the opening races and the palpable excitement for the next opportunity to compete. Ferrari currently sit second in the Constructors' Championship, trailing Mercedes, while their drivers occupy third and fourth places behind the Silver Arrows’ Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. The Scuderia, like most teams, is set to unveil a substantial aerodynamic and mechanical upgrade when the action resumes in Miami on Friday.
In addition, Ferrari hopes to be among the few outfits granted engine development rights during the season’s first ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) window, a chance that could prove pivotal in narrowing the power deficit. Hamilton believes the team is not only lagging in outright horsepower compared to Mercedes but may also be behind the new Red Bull‑Ford power unit. When asked whether Ferrari could close the gap without an engine upgrade, he admitted, "I think it's a tall order. Firstly, I'm really grateful for all the hard work.
I've been back at the factory every week during this break and seeing how hard the team has been working on bringing an upgrade. It's an immense amount of work that goes into building these components, and the quality they achieve is incredible. I'm incredibly grateful to everyone back at the factory for that." He went on to explain the magnitude of the challenge: "There is a gap between us power‑wise, compared to Mercedes and probably also the Ford unit. To close that gap, we have to do double the development each time others do, which is a really tall order.
You have to assume everyone is developing at a similar rate because these are new rules, so if a team brings a tenth, we need to bring two. If they bring two, we need to bring three or four.
That's a lot. I think we just have to keep pushing to eventually close the gap on the engine side." Hamilton’s candid assessment follows a mixed start to the season.
After finishing a strong fourth place behind Leclerc in Australia, he celebrated Ferrari’s long‑awaited podium in China – the team’s first since their 26th attempt – before encountering a tougher weekend in Japan, where he ultimately placed sixth. Post‑race analysis at Suzuka revealed that his car was losing roughly eight to nine tenths of a second on the straights, a deficit Hamilton attributed to a combination of factors rather than a single engine issue.
He noted, "We did a deep dive and it wasn’t the engine alone, but the system altogether, several things coming together to lose us eight to nine tenths on straight‑line power." Despite those setbacks, Hamilton emphasized the value of the break for reflection and improvement: "I think it’s been good for everyone to step back and analyse the first few races. We’ve been working on the simulator and at the factory every week, training a huge amount, and I feel very fresh for the weekend." His optimism suggests that the team’s intensive testing and development program during the hiatus could translate into tangible performance gains when the cars return to the track. The upcoming Miami weekend will feature a sprint format, adding extra on‑track action to the season’s restart.
The schedule includes F2 practice sessions, a sprint race, qualifying, and the main Grand Prix, all broadcast on Sky Sports. Fans can stream the events via NOW, with no contractual commitment required. The sprint weekend offers drivers additional opportunities to score points and test new upgrades in race conditions, which could be crucial for Ferrari as they chase both the Constructors' and Drivers' titles.
In summary, Hamilton’s message is one of gratitude, realism, and fierce determination. He acknowledges the significant work already done by Ferrari’s engineers, recognizes the steep challenge posed by Mercedes and Red Bull‑Ford’s power units, and underscores the necessity of out‑pacing rivals in a tightly regulated, rapidly evolving technical landscape.
As the Miami Grand Prix approaches, the world will watch to see whether Ferrari’s upgrades and relentless development can translate into the speed needed to close the gap and re‑ignite their championship aspirations.