Lewis Hamilton has highlighted the areas Ferrari must improve ahead of the 2027 Formula 1 (F1) season as he continues to work closely with the team on the development of next year’s car.
Speaking after the United States Grand Prix, the seven-time World Champion reflected on Ferrari’s progress throughout the season and the importance of addressing the team’s remaining weaknesses. The team has taken two wins and a lot of podiums so far in 2026.
Hamilton believes Ferrari already has a very competitive package but has identified several areas where relatively small improvements could make a significant difference. Alongside changes to the chassis and aerodynamic balance, the British driver emphasised the importance of improving straight-line speed and engine performance to challenge for victories more consistently.
Hamilton working closely with Ferrari on 2027 development
Hamilton praised Ferrari’s efforts throughout the 2026 F1 season while explaining his involvement in shaping the direction of the team’s 2027 challenger.
“I feel like the team have been doing a really good job, and I acknowledge that. I think also in the background I’m working on a pivotal moment in terms of steering the car in the right direction for next year. So I’m really working on areas that we need to improve for next year’s car so that’s been part of the discussion this weekend.”
With the final races of the season approaching, Hamilton explained that the feedback he provides over the coming weekends will help Ferrari’s engineers identify the necessary improvements.
“The next couple of weekends the feedback back to the guys who are designing the parts for next year just points it out to them where we can improve on the actual chassis side and aero package, and of course they’re working hard to improve our engine for next year. I think if we are able to somehow get closer to these guys with the engine, we’re obviously going to be winning, fighting for wins in these races.”
His comments underline the importance of Ferrari’s development work as the Italian team looks to close the gap to its rivals. While Hamilton recognises the progress already made, he believes further improvements to the power unit could prove crucial in allowing Ferrari to fight at the front more regularly.
Small improvements could make a significant difference
Hamilton also provided insight into when discussions surrounding the 2027 car began and how the team is identifying potential performance gains. According to the British driver, the process started approximately a month before the Mexican Grand Prix, with Ferrari now reaching an important stage in determining its development priorities.
“Yeah, I think there’s things that we’ve been… It started probably a month or so ago. But this is the time where you actually need to start making decisions and actually calling. ‘These are the areas we’re losing, these are the areas that we can… If you fix these for next year, it’s half a tenth in every corner.'”
Although individual gains might appear relatively small, improvements across several corners could contribute to a meaningful reduction in lap times. Hamilton stressed that Ferrari does not need to overhaul its existing concept entirely. Instead, he wants the team to retain the car’s strengths while correcting the weaknesses that continue to limit its performance.
“These are the areas that we’re struggling with, this is where I want the aero balance to be for next year. But there’s not a huge amount of things, I think we’ve got a really good package. So it’s keeping on the good things of the car and rectifying a couple of these small subtle differences. And then obviously the straight-line speed.”
Ferrari aiming to close the gap in 2027
Hamilton’s assessment suggests that Ferrari’s focus for 2027 will centre on refining its existing strengths rather than pursuing fundamental changes to its car philosophy. Aerodynamic balance, chassis performance and straight-line speed remain among the areas he considers essential to improving the team’s competitiveness.
With development decisions for next season becoming increasingly important, Hamilton’s feedback during the remaining race weekends could play a key role in determining Ferrari’s direction. The seven-time World Champion remains confident in the team’s potential, particularly if Ferrari can make the necessary gains in engine performance and address the smaller weaknesses he has identified.
