The first race of the new Formula 1 season is in the books. While Mercedes celebrated a double podium with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, Lewis Hamilton could only manage fourth place behind teammate Charles Leclerc.
The seven-time world champion surely had a different vision for the shakedown in Barcelona and the tests in Bahrain. Once again, it seems that Ferrari’s strategy — combined with a bit of bad luck during the second virtual safety car — kept the Scuderia from claiming the top spots.
Hamilton Slams Ferrari’s Stop Strategy
Lewis Hamilton is still chasing his first Formula 1 podium with Ferrari, yet this weekend he came closer than ever to finally breaking that streak.
Last season, Ferrari ranked as the fourth-fastest team on the grid, often struggling to keep pace with the likes of Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull at most races.
In the season opener, Charles Leclerc pushed George Russell hard during the opening stint, with the Monegasque driver snatching the lead several times and keeping the fight fierce.
And yet, the race didn’t go perfectly for the Italian outfit. During the first Virtual Safety Car phase, both Mercedes cars pitted — but Ferrari kept their two cars on track. That didn’t sit well with Lewis Hamilton, who started from P7 and made his frustration clear over the team radio: “At least one of us should have come in.”
Ferrari’s pit stop misstep proved costly, leaving the door wide open for Mercedes to swoop in and secure a one-two finish.
Lewis Hamilton Seemed Pleased With Overall Result After First Race
It also became clear that communication with Lewis Hamilton’s new race engineer ran noticeably smoother in the season opener than it did with Adami — a factor that, alongside the new SF-26, likely contributed significantly to Hamilton’s strong performance.
Former McLaren engineer Cedric Grosjean is set to replace Adami in 2026, though reports suggest he may not be available until the Miami GP. In the meantime, Kimi Räikkönen’s former race engineer, Carlo Santi, is stepping in as interim.
F1 fans were clearly thrilled with the way the duo communicated on X. One fan remarked, “Santi after one race is SO MUCH better than Adami after a whole season,” while another added, “Loving Santi already, such a breath of fresh air!”
Despite the hiccup, the 41-year-old seemed pleased with his overall result.
“The team did a great job overall,” he said. “There are lots of positives to take. A couple of more laps and I would have had Charles, so I know we can be fighting for podiums. We’re not as fast as Mercedes but we’re right in the fight. We’ve got a lot of work to do to catch them but it’s not impossible.”
On X (formerly Twitter) after the race, Hamilton posted: “Round one done. Positive first race. We’ve got much more in the locker …. Bring on China.”
This Sunday, March 15, 2026, the Formula 1 circus rolls straight into the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai — and the signs point to a strong weekend for Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton is no stranger to success at the Shanghai circuit, having claimed six Grand Prix victories there in 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2019. On top of that, he added a sprint race win at the Chinese Grand Prix in March 2025, proving that Ferrari knows how to handle the streets of Shanghai when it matters most.
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