Steiner pinpoints several Ferrari ‘hurdles’ after underwhelming Miami GP

Ferrari's Miami GP ended in disappointment as Lewis Hamilton (P6) and Charles Leclerc (P8) failed to capitalize on a strong start. Former Haas boss Guenther Steiner has weighed in, arguing the team's problems run deeper than one single issue.

Why it matters:

Ferrari arrived in Miami with 11 upgrades—the most of any team—yet left with little to show. The gap between promise and performance has become a recurring theme, with Steiner warning that premature declarations of a comeback risk undermining real progress.

The details:

• Race mishaps: Hamilton's race was hampered by an early collision with Franco Colapinto, while Leclerc spun on the final lap after incurring a 20-second penalty for leaving the track. He finished 53 seconds behind winner Kimi Antonelli.
• Steiner's diagnosis: Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, the former team principal said: “There's not one big thing… it's a lot of little things. It seems they struggle more when the tyres get older—that's normally down to downforce.” He noted Ferrari fights early but fades as the race progresses.
• Power unit not the culprit: Steiner believes Ferrari's power unit is competitive, suggesting the drop-off is chassis-related rather than engine-related. Leclerc has called for an investigation into the pace loss.
• Premature declarations: Steiner criticized Ferrari Chairman John Elkann's earlier statement that “Ferrari is back,” adding: “A race later, they're back where they were before.”

What's next:

Ferrari must address these compounding issues to turn potential into consistent points. With the season still young, the team has time to refine its package—but as Steiner notes, getting over the final hurdle requires more than just a single fix.