Lewis Hamilton expressed confidence that the latest updates to his Ferrari have moved the car into a more favourable position as the Dutch Grand Prix weekend unfolds. After a series of adjustments made between Friday's practice session and Saturday's qualifying, Hamilton believes the team can approach Sunday's race with optimism, even though the starting grid places him on the third row. Ferrari currently sit as Mercedes' closest rivals in both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships, yet they qualified a full 0.3 seconds off the pole position at Zandvoord, marking the first Formula 1 event after the summer hiatus. Hamilton posted the fifth‑fastest time, while teammate Charles Leclerc qualified sixth, meaning both Ferraris will line up behind the Mercedes and McLaren entries, with Lando Norris occupying pole.
Although a fifth‑place grid slot is not ideal, it does represent progress for Hamilton compared with his performance in the earlier Sprint Qualifying, where he had been seventh. "It was a completely different session and a completely different car," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1 after the main qualifying session.
He added that he had managed to edge out Leclerc for the final spot on the third row with his last lap in Q3. During the practice runs, Hamilton said the car felt "great and consistent," but he also noted that there were still areas that needed refinement. The team introduced a series of subtle tweaks aimed at addressing those weak points, which initially seemed to upset the car's balance during the Sprint Qualifying and the Sprint race itself. "I had no confidence in the balance after the Sprint," Hamilton admitted.
The modifications carried into the main qualifying session, effectively giving Hamilton a fresh learning curve with a newly balanced chassis. "I was learning a new car again, a new balance, and I’m much happier with it now," he explained, acknowledging the challenge of mastering the changes in just six laps. He also recognised that the Mercedes‑powered rivals still held a power advantage, but he felt the race‑pace potential of the Ferrari had improved. "Our race pace should be better and the car is better for the race," he concluded.
Saturday's Sprint race offered a glimpse of how the updated Ferrari might perform on Zandvoort's twisty, undulating layout. Leclerc finished second, just 1.3 seconds behind George Russell, and his overtaking move on Norris with six laps remaining was the sole position change among the top ten after the opening lap. Despite the circuit's reputation for limited overtaking opportunities, Hamilton did not dismiss the possibility of the SF‑26 fighting for podium positions again.
"I feel optimistic," he said. "Fifth is not the greatest but it could be far worse, so I’m grateful to be there, although I would love to be higher up the grid." Hamilton also highlighted the strong race pace demonstrated in the Sprint, noting that both he and Leclerc had shown good speed. "With the right strategy and execution, we can challenge the cars ahead," he added, emphasizing the importance of tactical decisions on a track where passing is notoriously difficult. Leclerc's late‑race overtake on Norris was somewhat surprising, given that he had been the only front‑runner to run the entire 24‑lap Sprint on the soft tyre compound.
The soft tyres provide immediate grip but degrade more quickly, which meant Leclerc was expected to struggle later in the race. He had been tipped as a potential pole contender, yet he never appeared to be a serious threat during any of the three knockout qualifying phases. "I don’t think the conditions played a role," Leclerc remarked. "We changed the power strategies too much throughout qualifying, and in Q3 I had some odd issues, so we lost a bit of performance.
At no point did I have pole‑winning potential." After Hamilton's late improvement pushed Leclerc down to sixth on the Sunday grid, the French driver remained realistic about his race prospects. "Realistically, overtaking will be very difficult, but we will do our best and see where we end up," he said. "Starting from sixth doesn’t make our life easy, so it will be a tough race, but the pace is there, and I hope we can use strategy to offset the others." Team principal Frédéric Vasseur took a positive view of the Sprint results, suggesting that a multi‑stop race could work in Ferrari's favour.
"The race pace in the Sprint was very strong, so we will try to come back," Vasseur explained. He praised the comparison between the two tyre compounds during the Sprint as the best preparation for the Grand Prix, noting that the race would likely involve two or three pit stops, leaving many strategic variables open. Vasseur also commented on the latest batch of upgrades to the SF‑26, which includes a new floor introduced after Friday's sole practice session. "It’s working as per the plan," he affirmed, adding that every development introduced this season has performed as expected.
"We are bringing a lot of upgrades at each race, not massive ones, so we don’t expect to gain half a second per race, but the progress is steady and positive." The Dutch Grand Prix schedule features a build‑up programme beginning at 12:30 pm, with the main race slated for 2:00 pm on Sunday. Fans can follow live coverage on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW without a long‑term contract.
The event also includes support races such as the F1 Academy and Porsche Supercup, adding further excitement to a weekend that promises strategic intrigue and the chance for Ferrari to demonstrate that their recent upgrades are indeed moving the car in the right direction.