Lewis Hamilton targets Mercedes gap in Miami Grand Prix F1 return
Lewis Hamilton has declared himself “fired up” for the resumption of the 2026 Formula 1 season as Ferrari aim to close the performance gap to championship leaders Mercedes at the Miami Grand Prix.
The seven-time world champion returns to the track this weekend following an enforced April break.
Ferrari currently sit second in the Constructors’ Championship, trailing their Brackley-based rivals.
Hamilton and team-mate Charles Leclerc occupy fourth and third respectively in the drivers’ standings, behind the Mercedes duo of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.
A tall order to catch the Silver Arrows
The Italian marquee had shown promising signs during the opening three races of the new regulatory era.
However, the British veteran acknowledges the immense challenge of overhauling the current pace-setters.
Hamilton believes his team is facing a power deficit compared to both Mercedes and the new Red Bull-Ford power unit.
“Everyone’s had more of an intense time to work on refining the car,” said Hamilton.
“Just feel fired up for the second stab at it.”
Upgrades crucial for development race
Most teams are expected to introduce significant aerodynamic upgrades when practice begins in Florida on Friday.
The Scuderia are also banking on potential engine development opportunities in the upcoming additional upgrade window.
Despite acknowledging the factory’s relentless effort during the spring break, the former Mercedes driver remains realistic about the speed of progress.
“I’m really grateful for all the hard work. I’ve been back at the factory every week during this break and seeing how hard the team has been working in bringing an upgrade,” he explained.
“To close that gap, that means we have to do double that development each time of others, which is a really tall order.”
“You have to assume everyone’s developing at a similar sort of rate because it’s new rules, so if a team brings a tenth, we need to bring two.”
