Lewis Hamilton has openly stated that he feels "amped up" for the return of the 2026 Formula 1 championship, a sentiment that comes as Ferrari strives to narrow the distance to title‑leaders Mercedes. After a challenging 2025 season, Ferrari entered the new regulatory era on a brighter note before the sport’s mandatory April hiatus, securing three podiums in the opening trio of races – 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 told reporters: "Everyone has had a chance to review what happened in the first three rounds. We’ve all had an intense period to fine‑tune the car. I’m just feeling fired up for the second stab at it." His remarks underline a mixture of optimism and realism as the team prepares for the next chapter.
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, together with most of the grid, plans to roll out a substantial aerodynamic and mechanical upgrade when the action resumes in Miami on Friday. In addition, the team hopes to be among those granted engine‑upgrade allowances in the upcoming ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) window, which could prove pivotal in a season where power‑unit performance remains a decisive factor.
Hamilton believes the gap is not limited to aerodynamics; he suspects that Ferrari’s power unit also lags behind Mercedes and possibly the new Red Bull‑Ford engine. When asked whether the team could close the deficit without an engine upgrade, he replied, "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 an upgrade.
It’s an immense amount of work to build these components, and the quality is outstanding – I’m incredibly grateful to everyone back at the factory." He continued, "There is a power gap compared to Mercedes and probably also to Ford. 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 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 until we can close the engine gap." The British champion’s comments came after a mixed start to the season. He finished a strong fourth in Australia, right behind Leclerc, and later broke Ferrari’s long‑standing podium drought in China, securing a podium on the 26th attempt for the team.
However, the Japanese Grand Prix proved more difficult, with Hamilton ending up only sixth after a weekend that exposed a noticeable power shortfall. Post‑race analysis indicated that the 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 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 just the engine, 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, with practice sessions, sprint qualifying, and the main Grand Prix spread across three days.
The schedule includes F2 support races, press conferences, and a series of Sky Sports analysis programmes such as Ted’s Sprint Notebook and Qualifying Notebook, all designed to give fans a comprehensive view of the action. As the 2026 season resumes in Miami, Hamilton’s enthusiasm underscores a broader narrative: a championship in transition, where teams must adapt quickly to new technical regulations while chasing performance gains on both aerodynamic and power‑unit fronts. Ferrari’s ability to secure an ADUO engine upgrade could be a decisive factor in narrowing the gap to Mercedes and Red Bull‑Ford, but Hamilton’s candid assessment suggests that the road ahead will require double the development effort of their rivals.
Fans can watch the Miami Grand Prix live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming options available via NOW, offering a contract‑free way to follow the drama as it unfolds. The weekend promises high‑speed action, strategic intrigue, and the chance for Hamilton and Ferrari to demonstrate whether their renewed vigor can translate into tangible gains on the track.