Lewis Hamilton believes that Ferrari has found a clearer direction to develop the 2026 car. At the Italian GP in Monza, the team brings its second power unit update through Formula 1’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO), in an attempt to reduce the 87-point gap to Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship.
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For the Briton, the novelty represents progress, although it is still not enough to eliminate the performance disadvantage: “Every little bit helps. And I think, you know, up to this point in the year, we were losing, even in the last race, on such a short circuit, we were losing four tenths per lap during the race. So, that is a huge disadvantage and we have carried that all year so far.”
Hamilton, who already has five podiums in 2026, including his first win for Ferrari in Barcelona, also highlighted the team’s change in attitude compared to last year: “What I can say is that I am really, really proud when I go back to the factory and see how hard everyone is working, that they are really heads down. Everyone is very enthusiastic.”
According to the seven-time world champion, Ferrari now has a more defined goal to guide the car’s development: “I see a different focus this year compared to last year. Last year, I felt there really wasn’t a North Star. We were kind of, I think, doing the best we could, but without really knowing exactly where we were trying to aim. And now we have a North Star. We know what we need to work towards. And I think they have done a tremendous job to really come together and deliver.”
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Hamilton acknowledges that improvements are still needed to catch Mercedes, but sees potential for new wins in 2026. “This is a step forward,” he said. “It’s not the whole difference we need, but we knew it would be like this. But seeing parts arriving every weekend, being added to the car, it’s exciting to see that we are pushing and, you know, we still firmly believe we have what it takes to win.”
The situation in Monza also favors Ferrari’s expectations. Kimi Antonelli, from Mercedes, will start from the back of the grid on Sunday, although he warned that the W17 remains a “very strong car,” despite the absence of recent updates.
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