David Coulthard says there’s ‘no way’ Lewis Hamilton can compete after seeing Ferrari ghost-car lap

Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard stated that Lewis Hamilton had "no way" to compete with Max Verstappen on straights following a ghost-car comparison of their qualifying laps. Despite finishing third after passing Isack Hadjar, Hamilton noted Ferrari lacked three to four tenths on the straights against Red Bull. Coulthard and analyst Anthony Davidson observed that Red Bull's power unit and aerodynamic efficiency gave Verstappen a decisive edge along full-throttle sections.

Hamilton explained that Ferrari must endure the engine deficit for the remainder of the season while maximizing cornering performance. According to the FIA, Ferrari's internal combustion engine trails the benchmark by over four percent. Upgrades introduced under the ADUO system in Austria and Italy have not closed the gap, with Ferrari reportedly targeting 2027 for a major performance step.