Fred Vasseur highlights the one thing about 2026 F1 cars Lewis Hamilton still isn’t used to

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Lewis Hamilton achieved his best result as a Ferrari driver at the Canadian Grand Prix by finishing second, but he still complained about losing time on the straights.

Hamilton spent much of the race pursuing Max Verstappen, having lost a position to the Red Bull on lap nine. He eventually regained the place on lap 62, having lost a few seconds in between with a mistake at turn eight.

Red Bull are Mercedes’ closest challengers in the engine department, with some experts even putting them ahead. By contrast, Ferrari are known to be lacking some power, which offsets their strength through the corners.

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Lewis Hamilton keeps complaining that rivals are gaining on the straights

During his pursuit of Verstappen at the Canadian GP, Hamilton complained to Ferrari engineer Carlo Santi: “He’s just pulling away on the straights.”

This has been a consistent theme in the first five races. It first surfaced in China as he reported: “When I get on the pit straight, I’ve got no power.”

• READ MORE: Martin Brundle hints Lewis Hamilton might now regret leaving Mercedes for Ferrari

In Japan, Hamilton said on no less than four occasions that he was losing time to his rivals on the straights. The Briton finished sixth at Suzuka after being overtaken by the two Mercedes drivers, teammate Charles Leclerc and McLaren’s Lando Norris.

He also asked the team if there was ‘anything he could do’ for more power on the long back straight in Miami.

Fred Vasseur plays down Lewis Hamilton’s complaints

Asked about Hamilton’s complaints after the race, Fred Vasseur told Sky that they reflected the nature of the regulations rather than a Ferrari engine problem.

It seems Hamilton simply isn’t used to the distribution of energy deployment around the lap after the rule changes. It’s a learning curve for all the drivers, particularly those with the most experience.

“With these regulations, the energy is sometimes distributed a little differently,” Vasseur explained. “When you’re in the car fighting against the competition, you might feel it a bit more than the others. But overall, the pace was there.”

Hamilton said it was extremely difficult to pass Verstappen due to the Dutchman’s consistency and extra grunt, but he ultimately found enough speed in the SF-26 to get the move done.