Lewis Hamilton Believes Ferrari Can Fight for Monaco Grand Prix…read more
Scuderia Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton has expressed confidence that the Italian team can challenge for victory at the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix despite a difficult start to the 2026 Formula One season.
The seven-time world champion has experienced an inconsistent opening campaign since making his blockbuster move to Ferrari. While there have been moments of encouragement, the Scuderia has struggled to consistently match the pace of front-running rivals, particularly Mercedes, who have emerged as one of the strongest teams on the grid this season.
Hamilton, however, remains optimistic that Monaco’s unique characteristics could provide Ferrari with their best opportunity yet to compete for a race win. The tight and twisty street circuit is very different from the high-speed tracks that have exposed Ferrari’s weaknesses so far this year.
Throughout the opening races, Hamilton has repeatedly highlighted Ferrari’s lack of straight-line speed as a major concern. According to the British driver, the team has been able to stay competitive through corners and technical sections, only to lose valuable time on the straights against Mercedes and other rivals.
Hamilton explained that Ferrari’s car performs well in slower and medium-speed corners, allowing him to keep pace with the leaders across significant portions of a lap. The problem, he says, comes when rivals begin to unleash superior straight-line performance, making overtaking and defending positions increasingly difficult.
That issue may not be as damaging in Monaco, where overtaking opportunities are limited and qualifying performance often plays the biggest role in deciding the outcome of the race weekend. Ferrari’s strong cornering ability could therefore become a major advantage around the narrow streets of Monte Carlo.
Hamilton sounded encouraged by the possibility of Ferrari finally being able to maximise the strengths of their package at a circuit where aerodynamic efficiency and top speed are less important than precision and confidence in the corners.
The former Mercedes star also praised the effort being made behind the scenes by Ferrari engineers and mechanics as they continue working to close the gap to the front. Despite some frustrating weekends, Hamilton insisted the team is making progress and learning more about the car with every race.
Ferrari supporters have remained hopeful that the partnership with Hamilton will eventually deliver championship success, even if the early stages have not gone entirely to plan. Expectations were enormous following his arrival from Mercedes, but adapting to a new team and car has proven challenging.
Still, Hamilton’s belief ahead of Monaco suggests confidence inside the Ferrari camp remains high. A strong qualifying session could put the legendary team in prime position to battle for victory at one of Formula One’s most iconic events.
For Hamilton, winning in Monaco with Ferrari would represent a huge milestone in his new chapter with the Scuderia and potentially mark a turning point in their 2026 campaign.