Leclerc and Hamilton left frustrated after tough Miami Grand Prix

Ferrari leave Miami with mixed emotions as Leclerc’s late mistake and penalty overshadow Hamilton’s damage‑limiting drive
Ferrari’s Miami Grand Prix delivered a split narrative for the Scuderia.

Lewis Hamilton salvaged what he could from a compromised car, while Charles Leclerc’s podium‑contending afternoon unravelled through a combination of strategy frustration, late‑race errors and a post‑race penalty that dropped him to eighth.

Hamilton’s race was effectively shaped within seconds of the lights going out. The Briton made contact with Williams rookie Franco Colapinto off the line, an incident the stewards later deemed a straightforward racing incident. But the consequences were immediate and lasting: Hamilton’s SF‑26 suffered damage that robbed him of downforce and left him unable to compete with the leading group.

Reflecting on his afternoon, Hamilton admitted the limitations were clear from the moment the car was struck: “Today’s race was affected by what happened on the opening lap, and with the damage I sustained, P7 was the best result we could achieve,” he said.

Despite the setback, he emphasised the underlying strength of the package: “Overall, it was a challenging weekend, but I believe we have a good car and there are some positives to take away. We just need to keep pushing, both at the factory and at the track, to keep adding performance and close the gap as we move forward.”

Hamilton ultimately finished sixth on the road, benefitting from Leclerc’s late spin and subsequent penalty.

While Hamilton was battling damage, Leclerc was very much in the fight at the front. He was the only one of the top three to navigate Turn 1 cleanly on the opening lap, emerging in the lead after chaos behind him. But the race soon turned more complicated.

He lost out to Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Lando Norris in the early phases, and Ferrari opted to pit him earlier than both to cover off a potential George Russell undercut.

That decision dropped Leclerc into traffic, compromising his pace and costing him track position — a strategic call that left the Monegasque frustrated.

Even so, Leclerc fought back with determination, overtaking Russell and then Max Verstappen as he attempted to recover lost ground. But on worn tyres and pushing hard to secure a top‑four finish, he spun late in the race, clipping the barriers and damaging the car. The incident cost him positions to Russell and Verstappen in the final corners as he limped to the line.

Leclerc initially finished sixth, but the stewards later handed him a post‑race time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage while nursing the damaged Ferrari, dropping him to eighth.

Leclerc did not shy away from responsibility for the error that ultimately defined his race: “The start and race overall went well and we were fighting for the podium. At the end, unfortunately, I made a mistake that cost me several positions. That’s on me and I will make sure I don’t repeat it again.”

He acknowledged the frustration of losing what could have been a strong result: “Very disappointed with myself. The last lap mistake is all on me and it cost us P3 or P4, more likely it would have been a P4 but the P3 was still right there.”

The Monegasque added that the error was particularly painful given the consistency he has shown so far this season: “I’m very disappointed with myself, mistakes happen but on the last lap of the race like that, it’s frustrating and not the level where I should be at.”

Still, he noted that the damage was limited in championship terms: “It’s been a very strong start to the season, not many mistakes. This one luckily didn’t cost us too many points but it could have ended in the wall. It’s a shame.”

Looking ahead, Leclerc stressed the importance of regrouping before the next round: “We will take the time we have in this short break before our next race in Canada to review and take some steps forward.”