Ferrari acknowledge that upgrades work, but "it’s still not enough to be ahead"

F1 Grand Prix, GP Miami, Miami

Ferrari emerged from Saturday’s main qualifying session at the Miami Grand Prix with a far more coherent and competitive showing than they had managed in Friday’s Sprint‑related running.

Charles Leclerc once again led the team’s charge, converting his strong Sprint performance into his best qualifying result of the season, while Lewis Hamilton delivered a more encouraging session that nonetheless left him wanting more.

Leclerc’s Sprint was a reminder of his trademark aggression off the line. Launching from fourth, he immediately attacked both Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri, dispatching the Mercedes rookie and nearly prising second from the McLaren. Once settled into third, he shadowed Piastri throughout the 19‑lap dash, applying pressure but never quite forcing the Australian into an error.

Qualifying later in the afternoon confirmed Leclerc’s status as Ferrari’s reference point. This time he produced a clean, committed lap in Q3, but the final deficit of more than three tenths to pole underlined that Ferrari’s upgraded SF‑24—while improved—still lacks the final edge over a single lap.

Leclerc nonetheless struck an upbeat tone, emphasising both progress and potential: “P3 is quite a solid place to start the race from, and it’s my best Qualifying result of the season so far.

"I think we did a better job overall with the car today, both in the Sprint and in Qualifying this afternoon. We introduced quite a significant aero upgrade package and I believe we benefited from it, even if it’s still not enough to be ahead.”

He noted that changing wind conditions played a role in the muted improvements seen across the field on the second Q3 runs.

“On my second run in Q3 the car felt very different compared to the first flying lap, but I think the wind played quite a big role, as most drivers didn’t improve. Tomorrow we need another good start and then we’ll see. There’s a chance of rain, so it could be a very open race.”

Hamilton’s Sprint was combative from the outset. He went wheel‑to‑wheel with Max Verstappen down to Turn 1, initially holding the advantage before eventually yielding to the Red Bull. Seventh at the flag reflected both the fight and the limitations of Ferrari’s package in the early laps.

Qualifying brought a more encouraging trajectory. Hamilton looked sharper through Q1 and Q2, at times matching Leclerc’s pace, but his final Q3 lap lacked the precision needed to challenge the top four. He ended the session sixth, still within striking distance for Sunday.

Hamilton highlighted the positive direction of travel, even if the final step eluded him: “Qualifying was an improvement for us. We made a lot of changes to the car ahead of the session and it felt much better, particularly through Q2, where things were looking strong. Q3 was more difficult and I wasn’t able to extract the maximum performance, so there’s still more to come.”

He also praised the team’s effort in accelerating the upgrade programme: “I’m really grateful to the whole team for the hard work they’ve been putting in to bring these upgrades and keep pushing us forward.

"We’ve taken a step in the right direction, and now the focus is on continuing to work together to unlock more from the car," the seven-time world champion said.

Team Principal Fred Vasseur framed the day as evidence of how finely balanced the competitive order remains under the current regulations.

The contrast between Friday’s Sprint Qualifying struggles and Saturday’s stronger showing underscored how sensitive the cars are to conditions, tyres and energy deployment.

“Today we saw a completely different result compared to yesterday, which shows that we are all still at a similar stage in our understanding of the cars, as the regulations, the tyres and especially energy deployment are not straightforward.”

Vasseur stressed the importance of consistency and incremental gains as Ferrari continues to integrate its major Miami upgrade package.

“The key is to stay consistent, keep scoring good points and, step by step, build our understanding without leaving anything on the table. I feel we are gradually improving and, starting from the second row, anything is possible.”

He also took a moment to pay tribute to Alex Zanardi, whose presence in the paddock this weekend resonated deeply with the Ferrari boss.

“As for Alex, I remember perfectly when I started in this business what he represented. For me, he was a mega champion in single-seaters, in the US and then in the Paralympics, where he became a true superstar.

"But beyond the results, what will always stay with me is his resilience, his positivity and his ability to show that everything is always possible.”