Hamilton tipped to unleash Ferrari surge amid predicted Miami breakthrough

The former F1 driver turned pundit, speaking ahead of the Florida race weekend, highlighted a clear shift in Hamilton’s mindset under the new regulations – conditions he believes better suit the seven-time world champion’s driving style. Brundle also expects Ferrari to take another step forward in Miami, a development he feels could directly translate into improved performances for Hamilton.

“Lewis clearly enjoys these cars much more. Ferrari is more competitive, and I think again will make a big step for Miami. Lewis obviously prefers this type of car to the seasons we had with the ground-effect cars that were smashing against the ground and were quite brutal things; it didn’t seem to suit his style. But just his mood and the way he’s going about it, he just seems a lot happier because Ferrari is more competitive,” Brundle said to Sky Sports News.

However, Brundle also stressed the challenge ahead, noting that Hamilton must first overcome teammate Charles Leclerc if he is to mount a serious challenge, while still refusing to rule out race wins for the Briton. “He’s got to beat Charles Leclerc if he’s going to win the world championship in the other Ferrari, and others. Let’s see if he can sustain that. If there’s a sniff of a victory, I think Lewis is still very much capable of taking that,” he concluded.

Hamilton currently sits fourth in the Drivers’ standings with 41 points, eight behind Leclerc. The British driver endured a difficult debut campaign with Ferrari but did secure his first podium for the team at the Chinese Grand Prix. He also added a Sprint podium in Miami during his maiden season with the Italian outfit.

Elsewhere, Hamilton has been handed career advice by former F1 driver Johnny Herbert, who urged him to be honest with himself about the timing of his eventual retirement. The three-time race winner suggested that elite drivers must eventually recognise when performance begins to decline, even if competitiveness remains strong.

Hamilton is currently in his 20th season in Formula 1, and only in 2025 made a seismic switch to the Ferrari outfit in a quest for his eighth world championship.

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