'Like test races': Hamilton turns Ferrari's focus to 2027 – engine is priority
Lewis Hamilton sees the next five Grands Prix as a test phase. Ferrari want to keep second in the constructors' standings, but his main concern is the power deficit.
Archive image · Photo: Liauzh / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (cropped and resized)
"I think these next five races are like test races," Lewis Hamilton said in Mexico City on Thursday, according to Formula1.com. Ferrari of course want to hold on to second in the constructors' championship, but it is also time to review the season and keep refining processes. He said he is already "really focused right now on next year's car".
The 41-year-old sees the power unit as the biggest issue: "I think the engine is probably number one," Hamilton said. Reliability is good, "but if we were matching the power of the others, we would be fighting for the championship this year." Closing the gap to Mercedes and Red Bull "won't be easy, but it's possible." He added that the car's operating window is currently "quite narrow".
Ferrari are second in the constructors' standings on 474 points, 133 behind Mercedes and 119 ahead of Red Bull and McLaren (355 each). In the drivers' standings Hamilton is third on 241 points, just one behind George Russell. According to Sky Sports, his Ferrari contract runs until the end of 2027 with an option for another year.