Ferrari got one simple tip that might help them win the F1 title this year.
Formula 1 giants Ferrari have just been told how they can finish the 2026 season at the very top.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has been leading the drivers’ championship for most of the year, winning five races in a row from China in March to Monaco in June. But recently, he’s had some tough luck — missing points in two of the last three races, not finishing in Barcelona, and despite starting on pole at Silverstone, he couldn’t turn it into a win, even though he set the fastest lap.
With Antonelli slipping up, Ferrari now has a better chance to catch the top two. Antonelli still leads, followed by his Mercedes teammate George Russell. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc sit third and fourth.
At Silverstone, Leclerc won ahead of Russell and Hamilton. But former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley thinks Hamilton, who’s getting closer to Antonelli in points and challenging Russell, has the best shot at the title for Ferrari.
“I’m going to say something surprising,” Smedley told the High Performance Racing podcast. “I think the only real way Ferrari can win is by making a bold move, like prioritizing Hamilton over Leclerc, even if it feels strange. Trying to outpace Mercedes by just racing might not be enough, especially with such a big points gap between Lewis and Charles.”
Ferrari hasn’t won a driver’s title since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007, but they’re gaining momentum. Since June, they’ve been able to use an emergency FIA upgrade, which helped boost their engine — which was over 4% slower than Mercedes before— and their performance has improved.
Last month in Barcelona, Hamilton finally got his first win in a Ferrari, leading an all-British podium with Russell and Lando Norris behind him.
“Grazie ragazzi! Grazie a tutti!” the seven-time world champ said on team radio. “Thank you so much to everyone at Maranello for helping me make this dream come true. I’m so proud of you all. To my family and fans, I couldn’t have done this without you. Let’s go!”
With Ferrari improving, Hamilton’s chances look better. The team is closing the gap to pole position, reducing it by over 80% between the first race in Melbourne and qualifying at Silverstone. Exciting times ahead!