F1 legend Lewis Hamilton wary of Ferrari decline: 'We're going to fall behind'

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton wary of Ferrari decline: 'We're going to fall behind'

Lewis Hamilton claimed his first Ferrari podium in China

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 29 March 2026 20:51

Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton said ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix that Ferrari could fall further behind in 2026, with the resurgence of McLaren.

Ferrari looked nailed on to be Mercedes' main challengers in Australia and China, with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc picking up a podium apiece in the first two races, and the other driver finishing fourth in both of those events.

Leclerc and Hamilton have also both led laps this season, before being picked off by George Russell and Kimi Antonelli in the dominant Mercedes cars.

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But the Japanese GP weekend saw the emergence of a new threat for podiums, and maybe even race wins.

After failing to impress in Australia and China, McLaren looked to be right on the pace in Japan, after Piastri converted his third place qualifying position into a second-place finish in the race, picking up his first points of the season and keeping both Ferraris and the Mercedes of Russell behind him.

If it wasn't for an unfortunately-timed safety car, Piastri could have even been celebrating a race victory, but he was comfortably beaten by Antonelli in the end.

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Hamilton: We have a real job on our hands

Hamilton could only finish sixth in Japan, behind both McLarens, and he has suggested that McLaren being involved in the fight is likely to be a regular occurrence as the season goes on.

"They clearly have a good car, and as they start extracting more of the power of that Mercedes engine, then we're going to fall behind," he said ahead of the Japanese GP weekend about McLaren.

"We've got a real job on our hands to try to somehow close the gap. The engine is a part of it, but I think the chassis clearly is, at least this weekend, not on par with Mercedes. They're quicker through the corners as well.

"Just on performance, we're hugely down to the Mercedes engine. What that is, we don't know. Whether it's just that they have a bigger turbo or more power or something else. We'll find out."

F1 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Japanese Grand Prix