Lewis Hamilton could benefit from a key element this weekend in Miami. The weather could well reshuffle the cards.
As the 2026 Miami Grand Prix approaches, Lewis Hamilton believes he has an interesting card to play if rain appears on Sunday. The Brit recently took part in wet condition testing as part of Pirelli’s development program, a significant advantage in a context where the new cars have never yet raced in the rain.
Since the start of the season, the first three rounds have taken place on dry tracks, leaving a big unknown about the behavior of the 2026 cars in difficult conditions. But Hamilton has already gained valuable experience in this area.
“I did two days of wet testing at Fiorano, so I hope that will put me in a good position if it rains on Sunday”, he explains, confident about the potential impact of this preparation.
Ferrari aims for a step forward after a mixed start
On Ferrari’s side, the goal is clear: to make a step forward and get closer to the leaders, especially Mercedes. The start of the season showed encouraging signs, but also shortcomings, particularly in terms of pure performance.
The long five-week break after Japan offered an ideal opportunity to deeply analyze the first races. Hamilton points out that this work helped identify problems that were previously poorly understood.
“It was important for everyone to take a step back and analyze the first three races” he indicates.
Read more F1 Calendar 2026: Towards a Surprise Return of Bahrain in October?
A deficit finally understood and corrected
The Brit notably revealed that he suffered from a significant straight-line deficit during the last race. Contrary to what one might have thought, the problem did not come directly from the engine, but from a combination of technical factors.
“During the last race, I noticed a lack of power. After thorough analysis, we understood that it was not just the engine, but a set of systems that were not optimized” he details.
This malfunction cost him between eight and nine tenths of a second, a considerable gap at this level. Since then, Ferrari has worked intensively, notably in simulation, to correct these weaknesses.
A Hamilton ready to revive the momentum
Very involved, Hamilton says he has regularly visited the Maranello factory to support these adjustments. He now approaches the Miami weekend with a feeling of freshness and renewed confidence.
“I spent a lot of time at the factory, I trained a lot, and I feel recharged before this weekend”, he confides.
If the rain disrupts the race, as the forecasts suggest, the Brit could well turn this uncertainty into a real opportunity.
Read more What time to follow the sprint qualifying of the Miami GP?