Lewis Hamilton has delivered himself an instruction to do a "better job" at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix after missing out on victory in Silverstone.
Ferrari have emerged as the clear challenger to Mercedes through the opening nine rounds of the 2026 season, with Hamilton confident the SF-26 can continue its upward trajectory heading int Spa-Francorchamps.
The Scuderia sit second in the constructors' championship on 255 points, 78 behind Mercedes, with Hamilton third in the drivers' standings on 147 points.
A Leclerc victory and Hamilton podium at Silverstone last time out marked Ferrari's second win in three races, evidence of genuine momentum in the title fight. Spa, however, presents a different challenge.
The 7.004km circuit through the Ardennes is one of the longest and fastest on the calendar, with cars exceeding 330km/h on the Kemmel Straight. That long blast from La Source through Eau Rouge and up to Les Combes is the primary overtaking zone, making top speed and drag efficiency critical to both lap time and racecraft.
Mercedes have frequently appeared among the strongest cars in straight-line comparisons this season, and Ferrari will need their recent efficiency gains to hold up on a track that punishes any power or deployment deficit.
Asked if Ferrari can be competitive at the Belgian GP, Hamilton said: "Spa. I mean, up until now, we really have been making such great progress.
"And what gives me confidence is coming into Silverstone, the simulator said that we should start in a much different place with the set-up, and my engineers and I decided to stay within the direction that we would normally go.
"Charles started the way it was, but the sim would say to go, and then ended up my philosophy and the direction that I was taking was ultimately the right one, and he migrated that way.
"It's good to see that direction that I have pushed for is paying off and that we've just got to continue to make changes and continue to push.
"We've got to continue to bring upgrades. Spa is going to be long straights, but ultimately, I've got to do a better job than I did at Silverstone."
Get the latest F1 news from RacingNews365 directly in your Google feed! Click on the link below and you’ll see your favourite F1 website appearing even more often. That way, you’ll never miss any news, analyses, interviews, or exclusives.
Follow RacingNews365 on GoogleMost read
In this article
Never miss a thing from the Formula 1 season! Add the 2026 F1 schedule to your calendar at the touch of a button. Subscribe below and put the dates and times of every race directly on your PC or smartphone, so you don't miss a second from the new season.
Download the F1 calendar Download the F1 calendar
A variant with just the race and qualifying is also available.
Click here to download it..
Join the conversation!