Lewis Hamilton believes he can achieve his first victory with Ferrari at the Monaco Grand Prix in Formula 1. After finishing second at the Canadian GP, the best result for the Briton with the Italian team so far, the seven-time world champion sees the Monte Carlo circuit as an ideal opportunity to close the gap to Mercedes and Red Bull Racing.
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The Monaco circuit, known for demanding more performance in corners than straight-line speed, emerges as a hope for Ferrari. Hamilton understands that the main current limitation of the SF-26 is precisely the lack of power compared to direct competitors, something that would have less impact on the streets of the Principality.
After a difficult 2025 season, when he did not manage to reach the podium even once with the Italian team, Hamilton shows greater adaptation to this year’s car. The second place in Montreal marked his second podium in 2026 and reinforced the feeling of progress within Ferrari, especially after a strong overtake on Max Verstappen during the Canadian race.
Another point highlighted by the British driver was the decision to abandon the use of the simulator before race weekends. According to Hamilton, the strategy had already worked before the Chinese GP, when he finished third, and returned to show positive results in Canada.
Speaking after the Canadian round, the seven-time world champion said he believes Ferrari could fight directly for victory in Monaco: “This is the only circuit where power is not the main factor. I think our car can be really strong there. I will focus a lot to arrive with the same energy as this weekend and work hard with the engineers to position the car correctly from FP1,” he said.
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Hamilton also emphasized the power difference compared to rival teams: “If you remove the power deficit, we are in the fight with them. I can keep up in the corners, but I can’t press the pedal more. They open a gap on the straights and we only recover under braking. It’s very difficult,” added the Ferrari driver.
The seven-time world champion also commented on the Formula 1 power unit development rules, which may allow extra upgrades for manufacturers below the current grid reference. Hamilton hopes this will help Ferrari reduce the disadvantage in the upcoming stages of the season.
Despite the optimism about Ferrari’s performance, Hamilton admitted he is still not fully convinced by the new generation Formula 1 cars: “It’s a strange feeling. The power ends in the middle of the straight and the engine loses revs. It doesn’t feel like how motorsport should be. In the V8 and V10 era, the engine kept pulling until the end of the straight,” he concluded. Even so, he praised the current cars’ ability to allow closer battles between drivers.
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