Lewis Hamilton did not mince his words at Suzuka. The Briton points to a major problem with the new F1 cars, illustrated by striking images of Max Verstappen.
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The debate surrounding the new 2026 rules has taken on a new dimension after an onboard sequence of Max Verstappen. During free practice at Suzuka, the Dutchman reached over 320 km/h before suddenly losing nearly 50 km/h in full acceleration.
This phenomenon, called “super-clipping”, occurs when the car recharges its battery while at full load. Result: a sudden loss of power, particularly visible in fast sections like the approach to turn 130R and the final chicane.
Faced with these images deemed worrying, the FIA has already adjusted certain parameters by reducing the energy available in qualifying, from 9 to 8 MJ. An attempt at balancing, without however completely solving the problem.
Hamilton lucid about Ferrari’s limits
On the Ferrari side, Lewis Hamilton finished his two sessions in sixth place. A result that reflects a car still lagging behind the direct competition.
“The car is generally okay, but it’s simply not fast enough at the moment, he explains. I think it’s mostly a question of balance. We have to work hard tonight to find better settings.”
One of the identified weak points clearly concerns straight-line performance. Ferrari is losing significant time against its rivals, notably McLaren.
“We lose a lot of time on the straight, about four tenths before turn 1 compared to McLaren. Energy deployment plays an important role. I’m sure we can do better in this area, and there is still performance to be found if we find the right settings.”
Read more Mercedes hits hard in FP3 at Suzuka: Antonelli leads Russell before qualifying
A finding that highlights the crucial importance of hybrid management in this new technical era.
“Not pleasant”: super-clipping in the crosshairs
But beyond pure performance, it is the feeling at the wheel that worries the drivers. Like Verstappen, Hamilton does not hide his discomfort with these new constraints.
“It’s clearly not ideal when you have super-clipping. We arrive at certain corners coasting, without power. It’s probably the least pleasant part of these new rules.”
A strong testimony, which highlights a controversial evolution of the discipline, where energy management sometimes takes precedence over pure driving.
Hamilton nevertheless concludes on a more positive note: “Other than that, the car is really pleasant to drive in the fast sequences of the circuit.”
Proof that despite these limits, the potential of the cars remains intact — provided the right balance is found.
Read more George Russell pushes the FIA to go further: «We could have reduced even more»