The 2026 Formula 1 season began last weekend with the Australian GP, which ended with a Mercedes one-two, led by George Russell and followed by Kimi Antonelli. However, the spotlight also turned to Ferrari, which had a competitive result in the race. Charles Leclerc secured a place on the podium, while Lewis Hamilton crossed the finish line just one second behind his teammate.
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The seven-time champion is still looking for his first podium with the Italian team since leaving Mercedes at the beginning of 2025. After the first round of the championship, Hamilton showed confidence that Ferrari can reduce the rival’s advantage: “We have to keep pushing, bring updates and keep evolving,” he told the press.
“I know the team is working hard on this, to ensure we can compete. We need to analyze and see where we are losing out. It seems we are losing on the straights, because I think we are as fast as them in the corners. The car is good, we just need to figure it out. They have something extra in straight-line speed. This is something we need to understand, but I have no doubt that we can achieve it,” he added.
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Hamilton also assessed that he was close to catching Leclerc at the end of the race. “A few more laps and I would have caught Charles, so that’s positive,” he said. “I know in the next race, I know where we need to improve, and we can fight for podiums from now on,” concluded the Briton, who shows confidence in the team after a troubled 2025.
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