Ferrari frustrated in Miami: Hamilton expected better, Leclerc blames the tires

Written by Sonia Romero
Ferrari frustrated in Miami: Hamilton expected better, Leclerc blames the tires
Credit: Lewis Hamilton pilote pour Scuderia Ferrari HP au Grand Prix de Miami 2026, 4e manche du championnat, du 30 avril au 3 mai aux États-Unis. Crédit photo Overtake Agency / Alexis Perrin

Ferrari had hoped to build on its strong start to the weekend in Miami. But at the end of Sprint qualifying, the Scuderia fell short, with Charles Leclerc in 5th place and Lewis Hamilton in 7th.

Things had started off well for Ferrari, though. Charles Leclerc had shown his strength right from free practice, before doing it again in SQ2 by setting the fastest time. But in the decisive phase, the SF-26s were outpaced, notably by McLaren and Lando Norris, who secured pole position for the Sprint.

Lewis Hamilton didn't hide his disappointment after the session. “We didn't really know what to expect. I was hoping we'd do better,” the Brit admitted, before adding, “The car didn't feel particularly good.”

The seven-time world champion clearly expected more. “I thought we'd be stronger than we were today,” he insisted. This relative underperformance is already forcing Ferrari to respond: “We're going to have to work hard tonight to figure out why we aren't faster.”

Leclerc highlights a tire issue

For his part, Charles Leclerc makes a similar observation, while pointing to a key factor: tire management. “The improvements are good; it's just that everyone has made them,” analyzes the Monegasque driver, who is clear-eyed about the overall context of the field.

Ferrari, in particular, struggled with a lack of performance on the softest tires. “The mediums worked very well, but the softs didn't feel right,” Leclerc explained. This is a critical factor in qualifying, where pure performance is essential.

The Ferrari driver emphasizes this point: “It's something we need to analyze, because in qualifying, there's still work to be done.”

Hopes set on the race

Despite this mixed session, Leclerc hasn't lost sight of the SF-26's strengths. “We know we perform better in the race,” he notes, hinting at an opportunity to bounce back.

The Monegasque driver is even optimistic about the rest of the weekend: “I hope we can get back to the front of the pack in the race,” he explains, while highlighting a key challenge: “Let's just see if we're capable of overtaking.”

On a track like the Miami International Autodrome, where overtaking remains tricky despite the long straights, Ferrari will need to find answers quickly.