Lewis Hamilton Explains Ferrari Struggles at Austrian GP 2026

Lewis Hamilton revealed a combination of tyre problems, limited grip and a straight-line speed deficit left Ferrari unable to fight at the front during the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix, where he finished fifth after starting third.

Hamilton briefly ran second during the opening phase of the race and challenged race winner George Russell before gradually losing pace. He also enjoyed a fierce battle with Max Verstappen, but the Red Bull driver eventually moved ahead as Ferrari committed Hamilton to a three-stop strategy in the extreme heat.

The additional pit stop dropped Hamilton back into traffic, leaving him unable to recover as he spent much of the closing stages behind Oscar Piastri. Meanwhile, teammate Charles Leclerc also endured a disappointing afternoon, falling from second on the grid to finish eighth.

Baca JugaLewis Hamilton Ungkap Penyebab Ferrari Gagal di GP Austria 2026

"I didn't agree with any of the tyres today. It was a very hard race and extremely hot. My start wasn't very good, but once I got past Charles I thought things were looking quite promising during the opening laps with George," Hamilton said.

Hamilton explained that rear tyre degradation became increasingly severe throughout every stint, making the SF-26 difficult to balance. He also highlighted Ferrari's lack of straight-line speed as another key factor behind the disappointing result.

"The rear tyres dropped away on every set for some reason, and the balance became very difficult. Since Friday we were around six tenths down in straight-line speed. I still need to understand what caused that today. On top of that, we simply didn't have enough grip to match the others," he added.

Despite the disappointing outcome, Hamilton praised Ferrari's pit crew for its work throughout the race. He said the team's strategy execution and pit stops were strong even if the overall performance failed to deliver the desired result.

"It wasn't the result we wanted, but at least we scored points. The team did a great job with the strategy and the pit stops, and I'm really proud of the work they put in," Hamilton concluded.