Ferrari Offer Lewis Hamilton Concession Amidst Potential F1 Power Unit Controversy

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur admitted he underestimated the difficulties Lewis Hamilton would face transitioning from Mercedes. Hamilton's initial year with Ferrari proved challenging, marked by disappointing results despite high expectations.

Formula 1 may see a protest at the Australian Grand Prix in 2026 related to a potential power unit issue. Reports indicate that Ferrari, Audi, and Honda have raised concerns with the FIA regarding a possible design 'trick' allegedly discovered by Mercedes High Performance Powertrains (HPP) and Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT).

Max Verstappen has spoken openly about the difficult situation involving his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, for the 2025 season. Lambiase has been Verstappen's engineer since his promotion to Red Bull in 2016, creating a strong driver-engineer partnership.

Ferrari is considering a change for Lewis Hamilton, evaluating whether his current race engineer, Riccardo Adami, will continue in that role in 2026. According to Fred Vasseur, the team is open to making adjustments to Hamilton's support structure after his challenging first season.

Oscar Piastri emphasized the valuable lessons learned during the past F1 season, despite missing out on the drivers' championship. Piastri held the lead for a significant portion of the season but ultimately lost the title to his McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, and Max Verstappen.

Charles Leclerc has strongly defended Ferrari's decision to halt development of its 2025 car early in the season, calling it an obvious choice. Fred Vasseur revealed that Ferrari stopped developing the SF-25 in April to fully concentrate on the significant rule changes coming in 2026.