Lewis Hamilton has made it clear that he is "amped up" for the restart of the 2026 Formula One campaign, a sentiment he voiced ahead of the Miami Grand Prix weekend. After a challenging 2025 season, Ferrari entered the new regulatory era on a brighter note, securing a podium with Hamilton in the opening race and two further podiums for Charles Leclerc in the next two events before the sport paused for its mandatory April hiatus. Now, five weeks later, Hamilton sat down for a pre‑Miami interview and explained how the team has used the break.
"Everyone has had a chance to review what happened in the first three rounds," he said. "We’ve all spent an intense period fine‑tuning the car, and I’m just thrilled to get another shot at it." His enthusiasm reflects a broader optimism within the Scuderia, which currently sits second in the Constructors' Championship behind the dominant Mercedes squad. In the drivers' standings, Leclerc occupies third place while Hamilton is fourth, trailing Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.
Ferrari, like most of the grid, plans to unveil a substantial aerodynamic and mechanical upgrade when the action resumes in Miami on Friday. The team is also hoping to be among those granted engine‑upgrade allowances during the season's first ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) window, a crucial period that could help narrow the power gap to the front‑runners. Hamilton was candid about the engine deficit.
"I think it’s a tall order," he admitted when asked whether Ferrari could close the gap without a power‑unit upgrade. "I’m incredibly grateful for the hard work the factory crew has put in during the break.
Every week I’ve been at the base, watching them develop components, and the quality of what they produce is outstanding. Still, there’s a clear power shortfall compared to Mercedes and probably even the new Red Bull‑Ford unit." He went on to explain the development challenge under the new regulations.
"Because the rules are new, everyone is improving at a similar pace. If another team brings a one‑step upgrade, we need to deliver two.
If they bring two, we have to bring three or four. That’s a massive workload and a very tall order. We have to keep pushing if we want to close the engine gap eventually." The British driver’s recent race results illustrate the mixed fortunes Ferrari has experienced so far. After a solid fourth place behind Leclerc in Australia and finally breaking a long‑standing podium drought in China—Ferrari’s first podium in 26 attempts—Hamilton endured a tougher weekend in Japan, finishing only sixth at Suzuka.
Post‑race analysis, he revealed, pointed to a loss of roughly eight to nine tenths of a second per lap on the straights, a deficit he attributed to a combination of factors rather than a single engine fault. "It’s been useful for everyone to step back and dissect the first few races," Hamilton said. "In Japan I felt we were down on power.
A deep dive showed it wasn’t just the engine; it was the whole system—several elements aligning to cost us those eight or nine tenths on the straight line. We’ve been training hard on the simulator and at the factory every week, and I feel fresh for the upcoming weekend." Looking ahead, the Miami weekend promises a packed schedule.
Friday will feature F2 practice, the first F1 practice session, and the sprint‑qualifying shoot‑out. Saturday includes the F2 sprint, the Miami sprint race, and the main qualifying session that sets the grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix. The Sunday program rounds out the weekend with the F2 feature race, the sprint‑qualifying build‑up, the Grand Prix itself, and post‑race analysis shows. Fans can catch every session live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW without a long‑term contract.
The return to racing in Miami marks the first sprint weekend of the 2026 season, offering a blend of high‑speed action and strategic intrigue as teams battle not only for points but also for crucial development windows that could shape the rest of the year. In summary, Hamilton’s excitement is matched by a realistic appraisal of the challenges ahead. Ferrari’s quest to close the power deficit will require double the development effort of its rivals, especially if they secure an ADUO engine upgrade. The upcoming Miami Grand Prix will be the first real test of those upgrades and the team’s ability to translate off‑track work into on‑track performance.
With the championship still wide open, the Scuderia’s progress in the next few races could prove pivotal in determining whether they can mount a sustained challenge to Mercedes and the emerging Red Bull‑Ford combination.