Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP) — Lewis Hamilton arrives at the Miami Grand Prix and is frustrated by his slow start to the Formula 1 season against Ferrari.

His performance has barely improved, with Ferrari ordering Hamilton to drop seventh in Sunday's match with teammate Charles Leclerc. Hamilton finished eighth, his worst result since being disqualified from the second game of the season.

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Even so, after the game, the seven-time F1 champions were still optimistic.

“I usually like the game,” Hamilton said. “I think this weekend, while we aren’t as fast as we want it to be, I feel like I have a better weekend all weekend. The results may not show up, but I’m 12th to 7th.”

Hamilton even briefly thought he would have a great day, and the change in the mid-sized tires made him feel “the car was really active and I felt very optimistic at that moment.”

Even so, Ferrari has nothing to do with McLaren, which is 1-2 with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

"I don't think it's a pleasant weekend...we're happy with the P7 and P8," said Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur. "You start with the P8 and P12 and it's almost impossible to fight back and challenge the cars ahead. The other thing is that McLaren may be on another planet. We have enough pace to fight Red Bull and Mercedes, but not with McLaren."

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Piastri has four wins this year - three straight wins - Norris has one as McLaren won five of the first six games. Four-time defending F1 champion Max Verstappen won a victory, and Ferrari hasn't even challenged Hamilton and Leclerc yet.

A complex issue with Ferrari in Miami was a crash Saturday when Leclerc lost control of the car while heading to Sprint. He couldn't compete in the sprint and Ferrari had to hurry up and prepare for him to qualify.

Hamilton finished third in the sprint but then failed to include momentum in the qualifying round. His only complaint after the game? It wasn't the team's order to bring up Leclerc's position, it was the speed at which Ferrari communicated the plan.

Ferrari seemed to tell Laker before the team told Hamilton, so when Leclerc first tried the pass, it didn't work. After Hamilton received the news, the British driver let Leclerc go on the next lap.

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"It's not a good teamwork. That's what I'm going to say," Hamilton said on Ferrari Team Radio.

After the game, Hamilton said he thought he was actually quick when Ferrari asked for a swap.

"I was quick and fast at that moment, and I don't think the decision was getting very fast," Hamilton said. "And then, sure, at that time, you were like 'Come on'. I had no problem with the team or Charles.

Leclerc said he knew Ferrari's drama in Miami would cause the F1's compelling controversy, but the real problem was that the car wasn't good enough.

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“We need to do better,” he said. “We have to reorganize as a team and get better. ”

He admits that like Hamilton, Leclerc is also frustrated with Ferrari's performance this season. His best performance was third in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last month.

"You're already frustrated, I'm fighting for the P8, but I'm not making any gains," Leclerc said. "I'm really struggling with the car, so it's frustrating and then everything else adds up."

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