Hamilton 'grateful' to Ferrari for setup change boosting Miami GP confidence

Lewis Hamilton expressed gratitude to his Ferrari team after a complete setup overhaul transformed his car's feel ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, boosting his confidence despite qualifying only sixth. The seven-time champion struggled in earlier Sprint sessions but found significant improvement for qualifying, which he believes sets a positive foundation for the race, especially with potential rain on the horizon.

Why it matters:

Hamilton's public praise for his team's relentless work highlights the critical, behind-the-scenes battle to optimize a complex F1 car within a tight weekend schedule. His improved feeling with the SF-26 is crucial for his personal performance and for Ferrari to maximize its points haul against rivals, showing how setup decisions can dramatically alter a driver's weekend trajectory.

The details:

• Radical Change: After finishing a distant P7 in the Sprint race while teammate Charles Leclerc took third, Hamilton and Ferrari opted for a complete change to the car's setup and balance ahead of qualifying.
• Immediate Improvement: Hamilton reported the car was "a lot better" and "so much nicer to drive" in the qualifying session, marking the first time he was happy with the car all weekend.
• A Learning Session: The Briton admitted he used the qualifying hour to adapt to the new car balance, suggesting that starting the weekend with this configuration—as Leclerc did—might have yielded a better grid position than P6.
• Weather Wildcard: With the Grand Prix start moved forward three hours due to a thunderstorm threat, Hamilton stated he would "welcome happily" any rain showers, potentially viewing mixed conditions as an opportunity.
• Unlocked Potential: Hamilton believes there is "definitely more performance in the car" to extract, feeling the setup change brought the car closer to its "sweet spot."

What's next:

Hamilton heads into the Miami Grand Prix with renewed optimism, armed with a car he finally feels comfortable with. The shifted race start and threat of rain add a layer of unpredictability, which could play to the experienced champion's strengths. The focus for Ferrari will be converting Hamilton's improved confidence into a strong race result to close the gap to Leclerc and challenge the cars ahead.