FERRARI CHANGES LOOM: FRED VASSEUR MAY REPLACE LEWIS HAMILTON’S RACE ENGINEER FOR 2026 SEASON
After a sixth-place finish in 2025, Lewis Hamilton may see crew changes as Vasseur aims to unlock the Brit's speed for Ferrari.
Ferrari's boss, Fred Vasseur, isn't ruling anything out when it comes to changes for Lewis Hamilton in 2026, especially after Hamilton's tough start with the F1 team.
The Brit had a rough 2025 season with Ferrari, finishing sixth in the Driver's Championship, almost 100 points behind teammate Charles Leclerc.
Besides a sprint win in China, Hamilton didn't crack the top three all year, making him one of only a few Ferrari drivers to do so.
A lot of Hamilton's problems came from the SF-25 car, which kept Leclerc from winning and landed Ferrari fourth in the Constructors' Championship.
There were also times when Hamilton seemed to be in heated discussions with his race engineer, Riccardo Adami.
Vasseur told Corriere Della Sera that he wants to make sure Hamilton gets more out of next year.
"We have to get better at working together," he said. He needs to try and get more from the car. Every little thing matters.
It's also about understanding each other better. We know what Lewis needs and wants better on the other side of the garage [Leclerc]. I need to understand what he wants too.
Vasseur didn't say if this meant moving Adami to a different job and giving Hamilton a new race engineer. He just said, We're thinking about all the choices.
Vasseur said he didn't realize how hard Hamilton's switch from Mercedes to Ferrari would be. Changing teams always brings challenges, like dealing with a new race engineer, which was a strong relationship for Hamilton with Peter Bonnington at Mercedes.
Vasseur admitted that there were other things he downplayed when Hamilton moved to Ferrari, and he thinks those things cost Hamilton better spots in qualifying and the race.
"I didn't realize how big of a change it was," he said. He'd been with Mercedes for 20 years.
Everything was different for him: the culture, how they do things, the software, the parts, and the people. If you're not on top of things in every area, it costs you time.
The difference between fifth and 15th place this year was tiny.
Hamilton will be happy to hear Vasseur say that, since he said earlier in the season that he didn't realize how many big changes he'd have to deal with.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
