After the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya praised Lewis Hamilton‘s performance, highlighting a significant breakthrough for the seven-time world champion with Ferrari. Hamilton finished as the highest-placed driver outside the podium, demonstrating a competitive edge despite Ferrari’s early qualifying struggles.
During qualifying, Ferrari’s pace appeared underwhelming, placing them around fourth among teams with Hamilton trailing Mercedes, McLaren competitors, teammate Charles Leclerc, and Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar. However, race dynamics shifted dramatically at the opening chicane, where Ferrari drivers appeared fiercely competitive, with Hamilton and Leclerc battling George Russell for race leadership.
Ferrari’s Strategy Under Scrutiny Amid Mixed Race Results
On F1’s official post-race show, Juan Pablo Montoya discussed Ferrari’s confusing strategic choices, especially under the first virtual safety car period. Montoya voiced frustration over Ferrari’s conservative approaches, recalling similar issues from the previous season.
“We always complained last year that Ferrari was never aggressive enough, and they always missed a strategy, and in my opinion, they did again,”
he said. Montoya acknowledged that although Ferrari might not yet have the outright fastest car, the team managed to challenge Mercedes closely, with Charles Leclerc repeatedly pressuring George Russell throughout the race.
Montoya continued his critique of the safety car response:
“And then the safety car comes out, the virtual one, and it’s like everybody bought them. It’s like not again. It’s like, why? At some point, there’s got to be somebody going, are we really the odd man out. We can’t have 10 smart teams and one missing, and in their mind, thinking everybody is getting it wrong.”
Hamilton’s Renewed Pace Impresses Against Teammate Leclerc
Montoya turned his attention to the drivers, singling out Hamilton’s newly demonstrated speed compared to Leclerc. Hamilton’s ability to close a significant gap after a pit stop was a rare sight last year but became a defining feature of his race in Melbourne.
“Look at the pace against Charles, of course, he’s going to be happy! He came out of the pits seven seconds behind and finished within a second of him. When have we seen Lewis last year do that? Never!”
Montoya remarked. This shift suggests Hamilton is settling more comfortably in the Ferrari, pushing the car harder and starting to produce more consistent results.
He added,
“Charles had the upper hand all year long, and I think Lewis is comfortable in the car, and he’s starting to push the car, and he’s starting to get the results.”
Ferrari’s Potential and Challenges Moving Forward
While the Australian Grand Prix showed promising signs for Ferrari, it is too early to definitively assess the team’s position in the 2026 championship battle. The upcoming Chinese Grand Prix will present distinct challenges that could test the drivers and machines in different ways.
Ferrari’s strong race starts differentiate them from their rivals, giving them an edge even if their qualifying lap times are not the fastest. Nonetheless, race strategy remains an area where improvements are essential, as strategic missteps continue to limit their full potential.
Having Hamilton consistently match Leclerc’s pace offers the team tactical flexibility, an improvement over last season when the two often found themselves widely separated on track. Hamilton, eager to claim his first Ferrari podium, appears poised to achieve that milestone soon, with indications from Australia pointing to a swift return to the Formula 1 rostrum.
