Hamilton hints Ferrari might "have the best car, but it’s hard to fight with Mercedes” …
Originally published by F1Technical
Hamilton did not hide his disappointment after finishing seventh in both the Sprint and the Grand Prix, describing a weekend in which Ferrari’s potential was repeatedly undermined by straight‑line speed limitations and, on Sunday, by early damage.
“We have the best car, but it's hard to fight with Red Bull and Mercedes,” he admitted, summing up the paradox of Ferrari’s current form: a chassis capable of matching anyone, paired with a power unit that leaves the drivers exposed on every long straight.
The Briton has been increasingly vocal about the need for Ferrari to accelerate its engine development programme, and in Miami he sharpened that message further.
“Engine upgrade? Yes, this really is what we need so much”Speaking to Mara Sangiorgio of Sky Italia, Hamilton was explicit about where Ferrari is losing its fights: “Engine upgrade? Yes, this really is what we need so much.
"Now it's very hard for us to fight against the power of the Red Bull and Mercedes power units, which both have a big advantage over ours," the Briton continued.
Ferrari’s deficit — widely believed in the paddock to be in the region of several tenths per lap depending on circuit layout — has become the defining limitation of the SF‑26.
Hamilton’s comments reflect what both Ferrari drivers have been hinting at since the season opener: the car is balanced, predictable, and aerodynamically efficient, but the lack of deployment and peak power leaves them vulnerable in wheel‑to‑wheel combat.
Despite the frustration, Hamilton’s belief in the project remains intact. He repeatedly emphasised that Ferrari’s foundations are strong — strong enough, in his view, to fight for victories once the engine deficit is addressed.
“For the rest, we have a great car, perhaps even the best, so we have to solve this problem because, if we succeed, we could really be fighting for victories.”
This is the clearest public endorsement yet of Ferrari’s 2026 chassis concept from the seven‑time world champion. Internally, the team has been encouraged by the SF‑26’s cornering performance and tyre management, both of which have been competitive even on circuits where Ferrari traditionally struggled.
A damage‑limited Sunday: “I had nothing”Hamilton’s race unravelled early when Max Verstappen’s spin forced him off‑line, leaving him boxed in and then his SF26 suffered major floor damage due to a contact with Alpine's Franco Colapinto on the first lap.
“I felt like we would have been more competitive, so I really felt optimistic for today. I got held up at the beginning when Max spun and I was in the wrong position for that, and then obviously the damage that I got after that then I was just… I had nothing.”
From that moment, Hamilton was stuck in what he called “no man’s land,” unable to attack and unable to defend: "Obviously not a good weekend at all. Seventh and a seventh. Just in no man’s land on both races, but particularly today with the damage there was nothing I could do.”
Hamilton made a point of acknowledging the effort behind Ferrari’s Miami upgrade package — a package that delivered gains, but not enough to offset the engine shortfall.
“Really unfortunate because the team worked so hard, so to come away with a few points is… We have to move on from here.”
The message was clear: the direction is right, the work rate is enormous, but the missing horsepower is defining Ferrari’s ceiling.
Hamilton closed the weekend with a sober assessment of the timeline required to catch Mercedes and Red Bull in engine performance: "But it will take some more time to fill this gap and try to catch up.”
Not the ending we wanted after a solid race pic.twitter.com/uPmc7EODa4
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) May 3, 2026