Lewis Hamilton identified Ferrari’s straight-line speed deficit as a key factor behind his P5 finish in qualifying at the 2026 F1 United States GP.
Ferrari had looked strong throughout the weekend, topping all three Free Practice sessions. Hamilton improved consistently, moving from P6 in FP1 to P4 in FP2 before setting the fastest time in FP3.
However, the team struggled to carry that pace into qualifying, with teammate Charles Leclerc securing P4 ahead of Hamilton in P5, with just 0.044s separating the two drivers. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli took pole, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar finished P2 and P3, respectively.
Hamilton on Ferrari’s qualifying performance at the 2026 F1 United States GP
Reflecting on his result in the media pen after the 2026 F1 United States GP qualifying, Hamilton highlighted the team’s straight-line speed disadvantage while insisting that his car felt good throughout the session.
“Yeah, I don’t know. I haven’t looked at the data, so… We know through the weekend, we look at the straight, like just up to Turn 1 against Max. When we cut power, they just keep pulling. That’s similar in other places, like going into Turn 11, where I think we might be similar in maybe into 12, but then the rest of the lap, a little bit. You see it on the overlay, but I don’t know what happened. The car felt really good. The lap was solid, so they were just quicker.
“Yeah, I had a really good out lap, so no problems for me. The car felt good, as I said, so it was a clean lap. No issues at all, really, so…,” he added.
Hamilton also acknowledged that Ferrari’s rivals had made significant progress in recent races, particularly in terms of chassis development.
“I think that’s the only place we lose [the straight]. I think our car was really solid. I mean, at least as good, if not maybe slightly better than the others. But I think they have closed up on chassis. We’ve seen the Red Bull closed up on their downforce. Mercedes took a three-tenths step of upgrade. They saw a couple of races ago, and they’ve been starting to figure out how to utilise that, and so they’re now matching us through the corners. And we’re not able to take that step, in this season, to close that speed on the straight.”
“I love the challenge”: Hamilton defends COTA’s bumpy surface
Beyond the SF-26’s performance, Hamilton was also asked about the ongoing concerns surrounding the bumps at Austin’s Circuit of The Americas (COTA).
Across the weekend, Verstappen was one of the main drivers to question the condition of the circuit’s surface, describing it as “out of control” and highlighting the physical toll the bumps can take on drivers. Lando Norris, George Russell, and several other drivers echoed these concerns, calling for improvements.
However, Hamilton offered a different perspective, arguing that the bumps add character to the circuit and make it more challenging for drivers.
“I feel it’s a little bumpy, but I think it’s okay, I don’t have any problems,” he began.
“I personally like the bumps. I personally like the bumps. I think it adds character to the track. I love the challenge of that because, you know, the car is moving, and you have to correct it.
“I mean, in a perfect world, it would be a flat track, but then it would be lacking character. I think that’s what gives this track that little bit more. It’s already a great layout, but the bumps give it more. Turn 1’s not a problem for us at all, issues just like Turn 19 and Turn 9, which is a little bit bumpy, but it wasn’t […]. Yeah, everyone’s in the same boat. I don’t think it’s bad. I think people complain […]. I mean, I’m 42, and my back’s fine, so…”
Podium hopes remain uncertain
Looking ahead to Sunday’s race, the seven-time World Champion remained cautious about Ferrari’s chances of challenging for a podium, noting the difficulties of overtaking at COTA.
“You have to be realistic, he said.“We’re 4th or 5th. It’s very hard to overtake here. Even if you’re P2 on the grid, it’s hard to beat someone. I’ve raced here since 2012. It took a lot to get past Vettel back then. But maybe with strategy, we can progress. If we can get a good run-up into Turn 1, there’s opportunities there for strategies, so we shall see.”
Ferrari lose ground as rivals make gains
Red Bull’s recent form presents another challenge for Ferrari, with Verstappen and Hadjar lining up ahead of the Ferrari duo. Notably, Verstappen arrived in Austin on the back of two consecutive victories and pole positions in Malaysia and Singapore.
When asked about the performance of Red Bull’s Ford power unit and their straight-line speed, Hamilton shared:
“It varies. I mean, I haven’t seen the actual numbers this weekend. I think this morning was, like, three-tenths, but in some places, three to five tenths, maybe it’s four-tenths. It’s pretty impressive. I don’t know if you see the overlays, but into turn 1, ours starts dipping, and theirs just keeps going. So that’s hard to compete with.”
He continued: “If we had the same power as them, we would be right there in the battle. I think we’d probably be on the front row. We know that that’s the case, so we try to make the best we can out of it.”
Hamilton eyes better strategic decisions
With the Ferraris starting from P4 and P5, attention turned to how the team will manage its race strategy, particularly following its difficult outing at the 2026 F1 Singapore GP.
There, Ferrari split its strategy after Leclerc and Hamilton qualified P2 and P3, respectively, with Leclerc starting on soft tyres and Hamilton on mediums. The softs proved superior, while Hamilton’s decision to stay out during a late Virtual Safety Car ultimately contributed to his P6 finish.
“Time will tell. Let’s see,” Hamilton said when discussing Ferrari’s race strategy. “I don’t really think we’re having any problems, hopefully, tomorrow. Charles has been really strong in these last few races. His race pace is really strong. He’s really, a little bit more comfortable in the car. He’s been doing a great job. So I hope I can challenge tomorrow. I think that hopefully, just as a team, we just make the right decisions.”
