'Just Feel Fired Up!' - Hamilton Enthusiastic for F1 Return at Miami Grand Prix

Hamilton's Excitement for F1 Resumption

As the 2026 Formula 1 season prepares to resume at the Miami Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton has expressed his enthusiasm, stating he is "fired up" for the upcoming races. This enthusiasm comes as Ferrari aims to close the gap to championship leaders Mercedes.

Ferrari's Development Challenge

After a challenging 2025 season, where Ferrari faced significant hurdles, the team began the current season with a more promising outlook. Following a strong start that included podium finishes—one for Hamilton and two for Charles Leclerc—Ferrari is now tasked with enhancing their performance to match Mercedes more closely.

Hamilton, speaking ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, emphasized the importance of the team's development strategy, noting the need for Ferrari to "double" the pace of improvements relative to their competitors:

"To close that gap, that means we have to do double that development each time of others, which is a really tall order," Hamilton remarked.

Analyzing Previous Races

Reflecting on the first three races of the season, Hamilton recognized the effectiveness of the sincere reviews conducted by teams. He remarked, "Everyone's had more of an intense time to work on refining the car." He is optimistic that the insights gained will help them enhance their performance going forward.

Despite the positive outlook, Hamilton acknowledged the current power deficiency compared to Mercedes and possibly the newly introduced Red Bull-Ford power unit, which adds to the challenges they face.

Technical Insights from the Japanese Grand Prix

Hamilton also took the opportunity to look back at the Japanese Grand Prix, where he finished sixth after initially securing a fourth-place finish in Australia and achieving a long-awaited podium in China. He identified several technical issues that hampered his car's performance, leaving him at a disadvantage on the straights. He pointed out:

"We did a deep dive and it wasn't the engine, but the system altogether, several things coming together to lose us eight to nine tenths on the straight-line power."

Hamilton remains hopeful, having worked diligently with the team in the factory and on the simulator during the break leading up to the Miami event.

Miami Grand Prix Weekend Schedule

The Miami GP weekend kicks off on Friday with practice scheduled at 5:00 PM, followed by other events crucial for setting the stage for the Grand Prix. The series of activities will include:

• Friday, May 1:
  • F2 Practice at 2:35 PM
  • Miami GP Practice One at 5:00 PM
  • Sprint Qualifying at 9:30 PM

As Ferrari looks to bridge the performance gap, Hamilton and his teammates are gearing up for a competitive weekend ahead, where every millisecond counts on the road to championship glory.