Lewis Hamilton dismisses Ferrari’s ADUO upgrade as a true game-changer in the fierce Mercedes title battle
Lewis Hamilton has bluntly rejected the notion that Ferrari’s latest ADUO-enhanced power unit upgrade will bridge the performance gap to Mercedes, asserting the Italian squad has yet to unleash a “silver bullet” capable of dethroning the Silver Arrows.
Ferrari’s engine development has been under the spotlight since the FIA granted the team the coveted ADUO tokens, allowing two power unit upgrades in 2026 and another two in 2027. The Scuderia debuted the first of these upgrades at the Italian Grand Prix, focusing primarily on refining its turbocharger. By slimming down the turbo, Ferrari aimed to reduce lag and boost throttle responsiveness out of corners, at the expense of top-end straight-line speed.
Hamilton, however, remains unimpressed by the headline gains. “If you look at [the Italian Grand Prix], they were six-tenths quicker on the straights, and at most other tracks, it is three or four tenths,” he told the media, including RacingNews365. “So, I think we’ve done a really great job given that we’ve had that deficit, and we continue to make improvements to the car. We’ve made improvements to the engine. We knew that the last upgrade wasn’t going to be the silver bullet and close that gap completely.”
While Ferrari’s upgrade has shaved crucial tenths off their lap times, it still falls short of matching Mercedes’ overall performance. Hamilton emphasized the positive trajectory Mercedes is on despite the challenges. “But for me, it’s really positive to see us continuously stepping forward very quickly, and it’s not easy.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Mercedes is preparing to roll out its own ADUO-powered engine upgrade before the season’s conclusion, with George Russell holding off on his engine change until the new unit is ready. This strategic move could reinforce Mercedes’ hold on the championship hunt.
Hamilton also revealed that his focus is now firmly on Mercedes’ own execution rather than Ferrari’s progress. After a costly DNF in the Spanish Grand Prix that left him 101 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli, Hamilton acknowledged the importance of internal consistency. “So, rather than focus on them, they’re not a focus for me at the moment,” he said. “Our focus should just be on how we can do our best and execute our best on our weekends. Because there’ll be weekends where they’re exceptional, and there’ll be weekends where they maybe drop the ball. As long as we just focus on our consistency and trying to optimise our weekends, maybe there’s an immediate moment where we can capitalise on perhaps their shortcomings.”
This pragmatic stance comes amid a turbulent period for Hamilton, who has faced several grid penalties, including one for impeding Oscar Piastri in Hungary qualifying, complicating his bid to close the championship gap.
Hamilton’s candid assessment and refusal to concede ground underlines the escalating intensity of the F1 title fight, setting the stage for a gripping battle as Mercedes and Ferrari continue to chase supremacy with their ADUO upgrades.