Mercedes dominated the Australian Grand Prix 2026 with a 1-2 finish, but Lewis Hamilton remains confident Ferrari can challenge for the championship despite a costly strategy mistake in the season opener.
Lewis Hamilton (Image Credits : X)
The opening race of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Australian Grand Prix delivered a thrilling battle between Mercedes- and Ferrari. By the end of the race, one thing seemed clear to the eyes that Mercedes may have already found the right formula under the new engine regulations.
Despite that, Lewis Hamilton remains confident that Ferrari still has the potential to challenge for the championship with its SF-26 car.
Mercedes driver George Russell claimed victory in Melbourne, while rising star Kimi Antonelli completed a 1-2 finish for the Silver Arrows in the first race of the new Formula 1 era.
For Ferrari, Charles Leclerc secured a podium finish in third place. Hamilton, who had started the race from seventh on the grid, gave a good recovery drive to finish fourth.
At one stage, Ferrari looked capable of having a winning start to the season. Leclerc and Hamilton both managed to overtake the front-row starters and lead the pack for around a dozen laps, sending shocks to the Mercedes camp.
Round one done. Positive first race. We’ve got much more in the locker …. Bring on China ✌🏾🛫 pic.twitter.com/kOPqP6cOn4
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) March 8, 2026
However, Ferrari’s race strategy proved costly. The team chose not to pit during the Virtual Safety Car period, a decision that ultimately allowed Mercedes to regain track position and restore their 1-2 lead.
Even so, Ferrari’s performance suggested there is still plenty of promise in the car. The team had already created a lot of buzz during pre-season testing thanks to its innovative design features, including rotating front wings and a refined chassis concept.
In Melbourne, the car showed enough pace to suggest that Ferrari could have been in contention for the win under different circumstances.
That potential is what gives Hamilton hope that Ferrari can compete at the front this season, and possibly help him chase a record-breaking eighth world championship.
“There are lots of positives to take,” Hamilton said after the race who believed that a longer race would have ended his podium drought. “A couple more laps and I would have had Charles, so I know we can be fighting for podiums," he added.
“We’re not as fast as Mercedes right now, but we’re still in the fight. There’s a lot of work to do if we want to catch them, but it’s definitely not impossible.”
Hamilton also pointed out that Ferrari’s strategy during the race may have cost them a stronger result. “We finished third and fourth, but Mercedes were ultimately quicker,” he said. “We need to review whether stopping during the Virtual Safety Car would have been the better option.”
“I definitely thought we should have come in or at least one of us should have to cover the Mercedes strategy. We’ll analyse everything and see what we can improve for the next race.”
