F1 News Today: Lewis Hamilton reflects on Miami qualifying as F1 star disqualified
By Hugo Harvey
Sunday, May 3, 2026
Miami Grand Prix delivered another dramatic chapter on Saturday as Lewis Hamilton endured a mixed day of performance swings, while the paddock was also rocked by a high-profile disqualification that reshaped part of the weekend narrative.
Now driving for Scuderia Ferrari, Hamilton arrived in Miami with cautious optimism, hoping recent upgrades would allow him to close the gap to the front-running teams. However, Saturday’s running at the Hard Rock Stadium exposed both the progress Ferrari has made and the work that still lies ahead.
The seven-time world champion began the day on the back foot during the sprint race. A difficult start and an intense on-track battle with Max Verstappen compromised his rhythm, ultimately leaving him down in seventh place. By the chequered flag, Hamilton had fallen over 20 seconds behind race winner Lando Norris, a gap that underlined Ferrari’s ongoing struggle to match the outright pace of McLaren in race trim.
The contrast within the Ferrari garage was equally telling. Team-mate Charles Leclerc delivered a far stronger sprint performance, securing third place and briefly pressuring Oscar Piastri for second. That disparity inevitably placed Hamilton under scrutiny, particularly given expectations surrounding his high-profile switch to Ferrari.
Yet the narrative shifted significantly during qualifying later in the day.
Hamilton emerged from the session in a notably more positive frame of mind after securing sixth place on the grid. While the headline result may not have suggested a breakthrough, the underlying performance told a more encouraging story. Crucially, he finished just a couple of tenths behind Leclerc in third, indicating that Ferrari’s revised setup had brought the two drivers onto much closer terms.
Speaking after the session, Hamilton pointed to key setup changes as the catalyst for the improvement.
He explained that the car felt “much better” in qualifying trim, suggesting that earlier concerns particularly around power delivery had been mitigated. More importantly, the balance adjustments made between sessions transformed the drivability of the car, allowing him to attack corners with greater confidence.
Hamilton admitted frustration that the improved configuration had not been discovered earlier in the weekend. According to him, starting with that balance could have significantly altered his sprint performance and potentially his overall track position heading into Sunday’s race.
Despite the progress, challenges remain evident.
Hamilton acknowledged that Ferrari is still losing time on the straights, a weakness that continues to limit their competitiveness against rivals experimenting with different aerodynamic and power unit philosophies. While upgrades introduced this weekend have clearly moved the team forward, the deficit previously estimated at several tenths has not been fully eradicated.
Even so, the Briton struck a cautiously optimistic tone.
He praised Ferrari’s relentless development effort, highlighting the intensity of work behind the scenes and expressing gratitude to the engineers pushing to unlock more performance. Importantly, Hamilton emphasized that there is still untapped potential within the current package, suggesting that further gains could come without immediate major upgrades.
Saturday’s action was further overshadowed by a disqualification involving another Formula 1 driver, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the weekend. While details of the infringement continue to circulate within the paddock, such incidents often hinge on technical or procedural breaches ranging from parc fermé violations to car setup irregularities which can dramatically alter race prospects.
For Hamilton and Ferrari, however, the focus remains firmly on execution.
Starting from sixth on the grid, Hamilton will aim to capitalize on the improved balance and close the gap to the leaders. With overtaking opportunities available and strategy likely to play a decisive role, the race presents a realistic chance to recover from Saturday’s earlier disappointment.
As the Miami Grand Prix builds toward Sunday’s main event, one thing is clear: while Ferrari may not yet have the outright pace to dominate, signs of progress are emerging and Hamilton believes the foundation is finally beginning to take shape.