‘Power is not king’ in Monaco: Hamilton bullish on Ferrari’s chances

Lewis Hamilton heads to Monaco with something that has been in short supply during Ferrari’s 2026 campaign: genuine optimism.

Fresh from his strongest result since joining the Scuderia – a hard-fought second place finish in Montreal – the seven-time world champion believes Formula 1’s most famous street circuit could provide the perfect stage for Ferrari to showcase one of its greatest strengths while masking one of its biggest weaknesses.

For much of the season, Ferrari has impressed through the corners but paid the price on the straights. Rivals have often been able to pull clear thanks to superior engine performance, leaving Hamilton frustrated despite the underlying pace of the SF-26. Monaco, however, changes the equation.

With overtaking opportunities scarce and outright power carrying less significance than at almost any other venue on the calendar, Ferrari arrives in Monte Carlo sensing an opportunity to turn promise into victory.

“I mean, that's the one track that power is not king," the three-time Monaco Grand Prix winner said in Montreal. "I think that’s definitely car performance, I think our car could be really strong there.

“I’m really going to focus on making sure I arrive with the same energy as I had this weekend, really study hard with the engineers to make sure we position the car in the right place from Practice 1."

Ferrari's chassis strength comes into focus

Hamilton's confidence is rooted in a belief shared by many throughout the paddock: Ferrari may currently possess the strongest chassis in Formula 1.

The SF-26 has consistently demonstrated impressive cornering ability, while innovations such as Ferrari’s exhaust-blown winglet concept have drawn attention from rival teams.

Combined with a package that appears particularly suited to low-speed circuits, expectations are growing that either Hamilton or hometown favourite Charles Leclerc could finally deliver the first non-Mercedes-powered victory of the season.

For the Briton, the challenge is ensuring Ferrari extracts every ounce of performance from the car from the moment practice begins. Monaco's narrow streets leave little room for recovery after a difficult start to the weekend, making preparation and setup crucial.

Yet beneath the excitement lies a familiar frustration.

A deficit Ferrari hopes to erase

Despite Ferrari’s progress, Hamilton has repeatedly highlighted the performance gap that remains on the straights. In Canada, he found himself able to match rivals through corners and under braking, only to lose ground whenever full power was deployed.

The 41-year-old made no secret of where he believes Ferrari must improve.

"If you take away the power deficit, we’re in the fight with these guys," Hamilton said.

"But unfortunately, that’s not the way it is today, and I think in the moment I’m like, 'I need more power somehow,' because I’m able to hold on or keep up with them through the corners, and I can’t push the pedal any further.

"And you see them just eking out the straight, and you catch them back in the brakes, they eke it out in the straight. It’s really hard. Even when you get the overtake, you get within a second, they still pull away. So that’s how much grunt that they have, and we’re massively down.

"But I really hope with this new rule that enables us to try to improve some performance, so we can get back in the fight with them. But Monaco should be fun."

That hope extends beyond Monte Carlo. Ferrari is expected to benefit from Formula 1’s upcoming Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) programme, which could offer teams greater freedom to address performance deficits.

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Hamilton is eager for Ferrari to seize that opportunity and close the gap to the front.

For now, though, all eyes are on Monaco.

The unique demands of the Principality may not eliminate Ferrari’s shortcomings entirely, but they could reduce their impact enough for the SF-26’s strengths to shine.

After a confidence-boosting weekend in Montreal and with momentum finally building, Hamilton arrives on the Mediterranean coast believing Ferrari has a genuine chance to make its biggest statement of the season.

And for a team searching for a breakthrough victory, Monaco may have arrived at exactly the right time.

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