Miami is set to host the second Sprint weekend of the Formula 1 season. The first Sprint event in China offered a glimmer of hope for Lewis Hamilton`s start at Ferrari and for the team`s overall season, with Hamilton securing pole position and winning the 19-lap race. This early success in Shanghai felt significant, especially following a challenging debut for Hamilton in Australia.
Ferrari`s Position and the Hope from Saudi Arabia
However, Ferrari has not replicated this performance in the subsequent five full Grand Prix races. Hamilton has notably struggled with the SF-25 car. While Charles Leclerc achieved the team`s first Grand Prix podium of the year in Saudi Arabia, offering some encouragement, the team remains off the pace of the frontrunners. Heading into Miami, Ferrari is fourth in the Constructors` Championship, behind McLaren, who finished close to them last season and were expected rivals this year. The 18 points lost from both cars being disqualified in China also widened the gap to Red Bull.
The longer Ferrari trails, the harder it becomes to justify significant investment in the current season, especially with major rule changes coming in 2026. A break before the Miami GP provides an opportunity for the team to regroup. As the season`s sixth round and a Sprint weekend begins in Miami, Ferrari is in urgent need of a breakthrough result.
Despite the challenges, Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur believes the `potential` to compete exists. He highlighted the inconsistency between qualifying and race pace as the key issue. Vasseur noted that the second stint in Saudi Arabia was strong, suggesting they were faster than some competitors in the latter half of the race. He emphasized the need for greater consistency throughout the weekend but took the Saudi result as a positive step in race pace, maintaining confidence in the car`s potential.
Lewis Hamilton`s Challenges
Lewis Hamilton himself acknowledged that Leclerc`s podium was the sole positive from the Jeddah weekend, highlighting his own difficulties with the SF-25 on the fast street circuit. He qualified significantly slower than Leclerc and finished the 50-lap race four positions and 31 seconds behind. Hamilton described the race as `horrible` and `not enjoyable`, admitting he had `no answers` for his struggles.
His post-race comments, suggesting `At the moment, there`s no fix… It`s going to be painful` for the rest of the year, were likely influenced by immediate disappointment and frustration. However, his performance in Saudi Arabia clearly shows he is not yet comfortable or competitive with the car.
F1 analysts like Karun Chandhok have expressed concern, suggesting the China Sprint performance might be an anomaly. Chandhok noted a worrying trend of the performance gap between Hamilton and Leclerc widening since the China Grand Prix Sunday. He observed that Hamilton appeared `deflated` in Saudi Arabia, facing a significant challenge psychologically to find pace.
Despite the growing gap, Vasseur insisted he was `not too worried` and believes Hamilton`s potential is evident from flashes of pace. Vasseur identified the primary issue as collectively struggling to find the right car balance and tire usage for Hamilton, calling it a `negative spot` but one they are working to solve, confident in the car`s underlying potential.
Potential Clue in Leclerc`s Preference
Leclerc`s qualifying advantage over Hamilton aligns with Leclerc`s known single-lap strength and Hamilton`s recent relative qualifying performance against George Russell at Mercedes. While Hamilton often had better race pace than Russell, he currently trails Leclerc 4-0 in Grand Prix race finishes this season.
Leclerc recently told Sky Sports F1 that he is making progress with the car setup, which he feels is now in a `sweet spot` for balance, although grip is lacking in low and medium-speed corners. He described the car as `trickier` to drive but something he `particularly likes`. This characteristic seems to be a key factor, as the tricky balance that suits Leclerc appears not to suit Hamilton. If this setup is necessary to extract pace from the SF-25, it could mean a challenging season for Hamilton.
Martin Brundle suggested that Hamilton needs a personal breakthrough in understanding and setting up the car, implying he hasn`t yet `gelled` with it or found the right setup direction, potentially due to his preference for a different car feel. He believes something is `not working, something is not gelling` for the seven-time champion.
Sky Sports F1`s Miami GP Schedule
- Thursday May 1
7pm: Drivers` Press Conference - Friday May 2
3pm: F1 Academy Practice 1
5pm: Miami GP Practice (session starts at 5.30pm)
7.30pm: Team Bosses` Press Conference
8.15pm: F1 Academy Practice 2
9.05pm: Miami GP Sprint Qualifying (session starts at 9.30pm) - Saturday May 3
3.20pm: F1 Academy Qualifying
4pm: MIAMI GP SPRINT (race starts at 5pm)
6.30pm: Ted`s Sprint Notebook
7.50pm: F1 Academy Race 1
8.35pm: Miami GP Qualifying build-up
9pm: MIAMI GP QUALIFYING
11pm: Ted`s Qualifying Notebook - Sunday May 4
6pm: F1 Academy Race 2
7.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Miami GP build-up
9pm: The MIAMI GRAND PRIX
11pm: Chequered Flag: Miami GP reaction
Midnight: Ted`s Notebook
Marcus Prine