LEWIS HAMILTON SECURES HISTORIC FIRST FERRARI PODIUM DESPITE LINGERING MEDIUM TYRE ISSUES
Lewis Hamilton secures his first Ferrari podium in a thrilling Chinese GP, outdueling Charles Leclerc for third place.
Lewis Hamilton’s performance in the recent race marked his best since joining Ferrari, yet he’s clear that the team still faces some issues needing attention. He clinched his first podium with Ferrari, finishing just behind Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. While Hamilton praised Antonelli’s victory, many fans were equally thrilled to see the seven-time world champion back among the top finishers.
The standout moment was Hamilton’s fierce duel with teammate Charles Leclerc, showcasing a sharpness we haven’t seen from him in a long time. Leclerc sees their battle as a positive sign for Ferrari, but Hamilton is keen to sort out certain car-related concerns sooner rather than later.
Talking about his podium finish after the Chinese Grand Prix, Hamilton admitted it came after a tough fight. Despite being happy with the team’s race management, he highlighted some struggles mid-race, where he slipped behind Russell and Leclerc before fighting back to third. He acknowledged there’s room for improvement, especially during the mid-stage on medium tyres, where he felt something was off.
Hamilton emphasised, “My race pace has been solid, especially on the hard tyres in these early races, but on the mediums, I need to extract more performance.” Battling back from fourth to third, he described it as “a hell of a push". The podium was a big milestone for him, and he extended a heartfelt thank you to Ferrari for making it happen.
On a more personal note, Hamilton shared how he brought his mother to the Chinese Grand Prix, and for the first time in over two decades of racing, he walked her through the preparation process. She was genuinely amazed at the sheer volume of work and mental effort involved. Hamilton likened it to studying for a test every day, something he’s never really been comfortable with, but driving is his strength.
Seeing Hamilton’s hard work pay off must be a rewarding moment for his family, as he clearly appears to be finding his rhythm again with Ferrari. His current edge over Leclerc, combined with both drivers showing strong form early in the season, offers optimistic prospects for Ferrari’s challenge against Mercedes moving forward.
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
