Lewis Hamilton is urging Ferrari to boost the output of their power unit for the 2027 Formula One campaign as the 41‑year‑old sets his sights on a possible record‑breaking eighth world title next season. Hamilton’s lone Ferrari victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona back in June sparked optimism that the British champion could mount a serious title challenge in 2026. However, a lacklustre spell after the summer hiatus saw his points gap to Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, who currently leads the championship, widen to well over a hundred points. The Brit broke a six‑race podium drought by finishing third at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia on Sunday.
A sub‑optimal tyre choice off the line denied him the chance to convert his strong pace into a head‑to‑head battle with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen for the win. After that encouraging performance, Hamilton explained why he still believes his team can improve for the coming year. "Fundamentally, we have a great car," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. "That’s down to an incredible group of people at the factory – they’re extremely intelligent and have made the right decisions.
As I’ve said before, we’ve been innovators this year, introducing concepts that many others have later adopted. The only area where we’re lagging is power, and we have to live with that deficit for the rest of this season. We need to close the gap for next year." His comments came amid a broader discussion about the sport’s evolving landscape, including Max Verstappen’s remarks that Formula 1 feels "less stressful" without team principal Christian Horner, speculation about Verstappen potentially driving for Ferrari, and updates on driver contracts and team strategies.
Other headlines ranged from the possibility of rising star Will Isack Hadjar joining Red Bull’s private jet crew to Karun Chandhok’s analysis of the Bahrain GP’s formation‑lap "bug" and Russell’s 2025 Singapore Grand Prix victory that helped McLaren clinch the constructors’ title. With seven rounds left in the 2026 season, beginning with the inaugural Sprint event in Singapore this weekend, Hamilton remains hopeful that his car’s development trajectory will allow him to contend for additional wins. "The car is improving, and I think we have races ahead where we can get a little closer," he added. "We keep pushing, and I’m still enjoying the racing.
I feel fit and focused." The lead‑up to the Bahrain race was dominated by speculation surrounding Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur’s future after former Red Bull chief Christian Horner expressed interest in the role. Ferrari publicly reaffirmed its support for Vasseur ahead of the event, while Hamilton criticised the "negative narrative" that had been circulating about the team. When asked if a solid overall result – with teammate Charles Leclerc finishing just behind him in fourth – might quiet the criticism, Hamilton replied, "I hope the chatter isn’t too negative after Malaysia. We still scored good points with third and fourth." Vasseur maintained a philosophical stance, noting that it’s easy to react positively after a strong performance, but the true test is staying "solid" when things don’t go as planned.
"You know, weekends are much easier to manage when you’re doing well," he said. "The most important thing is to remain solid when you’re not. Sometimes it won’t be the case – it happens to everybody.
It was a tough weekend for McLaren, who came in with high expectations and found it difficult. In those moments you have to react as a team and stay together. It’s always easier to deal with a good weekend." Looking ahead, Formula 1 will head straight to Singapore for the final Sprint weekend of the season, with track action set to begin on Friday and live coverage on Sky Sports F1.
The event marks a pivotal moment for Hamilton and Ferrari as they aim to extract every ounce of performance from their machinery before the season concludes. While the power deficit remains a clear obstacle, Hamilton’s confidence in the team’s engineering talent and his own resilience suggest that the British champion will continue to fight for podiums and points, keeping his historic title aspirations alive.