Hamilton targets Ferrari set-up reset after Austin practice mistake

Lewis Hamilton says he will work with Ferrari engineers to find a better set-up for his car after an uncomfortable Friday at the United States Grand Prix in Austin. The seven-time champion said a different set-up direction had not suited him, particularly across the circuit’s bumps.

Team-mate Charles Leclerc topped both practice sessions, the first time a Ferrari had led both in 2026. Hamilton was sixth in FP1 and fourth in FP2, ending the sessions 0.503 seconds and 0.615 seconds behind Leclerc respectively.

Hamilton says the set-up change left him uncomfortable

Hamilton said the team had used Friday to explore a different approach, but he did not feel at ease in the SF-26. He pointed to Leclerc’s pace as evidence that the car had potential, while stressing that Ferrari needed to understand how to improve his side of the garage.

The difference between the two drivers was not the only factor in Hamilton’s FP2 result. He made a mistake at Turn 1 on the first lap of his soft-tyre run and abandoned the attempt, meaning that lap did not represent his best effort on the compound.

He said practice gave the team a chance to test ideas and build understanding. The next step, he explained, was to work through the data with Ferrari and identify where his car could be improved. Readers can also follow Hamilton’s wider Ferrari development story.

Leclerc’s double session lead sets the benchmark

Leclerc’s performance offered Ferrari a clear reference point as it assesses Hamilton’s set-up. He led both sessions while Hamilton finished outside the top three in each, leaving the team to reconcile the gap with the handling concerns Hamilton reported.

Hamilton’s response was focused on collaboration rather than a quick fix: he said he would work with the engineers to get the car into a better place. The discussion comes amid wider attention on his working relationship with the team, including coverage of claims about Ferrari crew changes.

Friday’s results leave Ferrari with encouraging pace through Leclerc and a specific set-up question to address for Hamilton. The team’s task is to translate that information into a car in which both drivers can be comfortable.