Lewis Hamilton has openly expressed his excitement about the restart of the 2026 Formula 1 campaign, describing himself as "fired up" as Ferrari strives to narrow the distance 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. The Italian team managed to secure three podiums in the opening trio of races – one with Hamilton and two with Charles Leclerc – signalling a potential shift in the competitive balance. Now, five weeks later, Hamilton spoke ahead of the series’ comeback at the Miami Grand Prix, slated for the upcoming weekend.
He explained, "Everyone’s had a chance to review what happened in the first three rounds. We’ve all had an intense period to fine‑tune the car, and I’m just feeling fired up for the second stab at it." His comments underscore the blend of reflection and optimism that the drivers and engineers are bringing to the track after a lengthy break.
In the current Constructors' standings, Ferrari sits second, trailing Mercedes, while the driver order places Leclerc third and Hamilton fourth, behind the Mercedes duo of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. Both Ferrari and the majority of the grid are preparing to launch a major aerodynamic and mechanical upgrade when the Miami circuit opens on Friday. In addition, Scuderia Ferrari hopes to be among the select teams granted power‑unit development rights during the first Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) window of the season – a critical period that could determine the shape of the championship.
Hamilton believes the power deficit is not limited to Mercedes; he suspects the new Red Bull‑Ford power unit may also be ahead. When asked whether Ferrari could close the gap without an engine upgrade, he responded, "I think it’s a tall order.
First, 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 outstanding.
I’m incredibly grateful to everyone back at the factory for that." He went on to detail 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 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 it’s a new set of 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 until we can close the gap on the engine side." The British driver’s comments come after a mixed start to the season.
He finished a strong fourth place just behind Leclerc in Australia, and then celebrated Ferrari’s long‑awaited podium in China – the team’s first since its 26th attempt. However, the Japanese Grand Prix proved more difficult, with Hamilton only managing sixth place.
Post‑race analysis revealed that his car suffered a loss of roughly eight to nine tenths of a second per lap on the straights, a shortfall Hamilton attributed to a combination of factors rather than a single engine flaw. "It’s been good for everyone to step back and analyse the first few races," Hamilton said. "In the last race I felt I was down on power. We did a deep dive and it wasn’t the engine alone, but the whole system – several things coming together to lose us eight to nine tenths on straight‑line power.
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." Looking ahead, the Miami weekend will feature a full sprint format. The schedule is packed: Friday will host F2 practice, the first Miami GP practice session, F2 qualifying, a team bosses’ press conference, and sprint qualifying.
Saturday includes the F2 sprint, a sprint build‑up, the Miami sprint race, and the qualifying session for the Grand Prix. Sunday culminates with the F2 feature race, a build‑up to the main event, the Miami Grand Prix itself, and post‑race reaction shows. All sessions will be streamed live on Sky Sports F1 via the NOW platform, with no contract required and the option to cancel at any time. The ADUO window, which opens later in the season, could be a decisive factor for Ferrari.
If the team secures additional power‑unit upgrades, it may be able to accelerate its development pace and chip away at Mercedes’ lead. Until then, Hamilton’s enthusiasm and the team’s relentless work ethic will be essential as they chase the performance edge needed to contend for both the Constructors' and Drivers' titles.
In summary, Hamilton’s message to fans and rivals alike is clear: the Scuderia is hungry, the engineers are working around the clock, and the driver is ready to give everything he has. The Miami Grand Prix will be the first real test of whether those efforts can translate into a tighter battle at the front of the grid as the 2026 season gets back into full swing.