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Lewis Hamilton drops major first hint over 2026 Ferrari F1 car

Lewis Hamilton has delivered his verdict on the new generation of F1 cars after topping the Barcelona pre-season shakedown, hinting it could be a return to some of his strengths. Late on the final day of running, Hamilton posted a 1:16.348 to set the quickest time of the week as he looks to bounce back from the horror 2025 season with Ferrari. Hamilton suffered the nadir of his career in his first year at Ferrari, going without a podium all season as he struggled to get to grips with the final ground effect era car, a generation of machine he never clicked with. Hamilton's preferred driving style of braking hard and early and sharply turning into a corner - 'V-ing' - was at odds with the more 'roll the car into the corner' approach required 'U-ing' by the 2022-2025 cars. Reflecting on the first week in the new designs, Hamilton indicated that some traits he previously enjoyed are back with the 2026-spec machines. "Of course, there were small things, but we didn't really have any downtime moments, where I am sure they could potentially come in the next weeks, but otherwise, it's been a really, really solid couple of days," Hamilton explained. "In terms of understanding the car and the balance, we have a lot less downforce than in previous years. "The car generation is actually a little bit more fun to drive, it is oversteery, snappy and sliding, but it is easier to catch, and I would definitely say more enjoyable. "But we definitely have to improve, as everybody does, but we've had great debriefs, everyone is really on it, and I feel like there is a winning mentality in every single person in the team, more than ever. "It's been a really enjoyable week, and a huge amount of work was done over the winter on my personal side, and then what the team have done to make changes going into the test. "It was an unusual start to the week with a completely wet day, which is something you would normally not opt for, but last year, the first race was the first time I drove the Ferrari in the wet, and that was very hard, so it was good to have that experience and get that knowledge."

racingnews365.com·Jan 24

FIA confident of winning over Max Verstappen and F1 'superstars' as contentious new rules debut loom

The FIA has no doubt the likes of Max Verstappen and his fellow F1 "superstars" will eventually be won over by the biggest rules change in F1 history once they become accustomed to the style of racing. When the FIA first proposed a shift to a 50-50 split between combustion and electrical power in 2023, it drew stern criticism from the likes of four-time F1 champion Verstappen initially, who described them as "terrible" , and that F1 would be "drawn into an ICE competition...whoever has the strongest engine will have a big benefit". Last season, when questioned at various stages, the drivers were far from complimentary following simulator sessions. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, for instance, described it as "not the most enjoyable car" he had driven, whilst Williams' Carlos Sainz said it was "very complicated". The drivers will be mentally tested as they manage the battery levels around a lap, knowing when to deploy and when to hold back, particularly if the battery depletes on long straights, as is the suspicion. Asked by RacingNews365 in an exclusive interview whether comments such as those from Verstappen were taken on board, FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis said: "Yes, we do take a lot of the comments on board. "We do have a lot of discussions with the drivers. Ultimately, they are the superstars of the sport. "That said, we also have to take a lot of factors into consideration - the fan experience, the participating manufacturers, we need to keep costs under control, to look after safety, of course, and we need to look after environmental factors. "So the parameters are not just the drivers. We need to speak to a lot of people. In addition, not everybody who votes in various rule changes always has the same view. "That's why we have a voting system, and sometimes with a voting structure, it is quite challenging to get changes, even if we all believe a certain change should be made. "So I think we do take [driver comments] into account, but drivers are inherently conservative. They get used to driving certain things, and they may not immediately want to change something. "I'm sure that when they first go in a car, it will feel different, and they will get the sense of familiarity they've had for the last five years. "I'm sure we will get there, and we will keep speaking with them." As to whether he felt they would be won over in the end, Tombazis replied: "More than just the end. Hopefully, a bit earlier than that."

racingnews365.com·Jan 20

A year on since Lewis Hamilton broke the internet

Exactly one year ago today, Lewis Hamilton stood outside Enzo Ferrari's house in Modena, dressed immaculately in a Ferragamo three-piece suit, posing beside an F40. The image, posted on 20 January 2025, became the most liked Instagram post in Formula 1 history, amassing 5.7 million likes and reaching 25 million views on X. It was a moment of pure theatre, capturing the weight of expectation placed upon Hamilton to restore Ferrari's glory after 17 years without a constructors' championship. The seven-time world champion's carefully curated appearance, complete with reports of him speaking Italian, signalled his total commitment to the Scuderia. What followed, however, was anything but glorious. Article continues below the Instagram post... https://www.instagram.com/p/DFC5g6WsxQW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lewis Hamilton (@lewishamilton) Hamilton's nightmare 2025 in red Hamilton's 2025 campaign became the worst of his career. For the first time since joining F1 in 2007, he completed an entire season without a single grand prix podium. His only appearance on the top step of a rostrum came in the China Sprint last March, an anomaly that only highlighted how dire his Sundays became. The numbers tell a brutal story. Hamilton finished sixth in the championship with 156 points, 86 behind teammate Charles Leclerc's 242. He averaged four positions below Leclerc in qualifying and suffered a historic collapse at the season's end, becoming the first full-time Ferrari driver since 2009 to qualify last. Three consecutive Q1 eliminations from Las Vegas to Abu Dhabi capped a nightmare he openly described as such. The SF-25 was fundamentally flawed. A backfiring suspension change, an extremely narrow operating window, and braking instability plagued the car. After both Ferraris were disqualified in China for plank wear and weight violations, the team was forced into conservative setups that sacrificed performance. Hamilton, adapting to machinery built without his input after 12 Mercedes years, never found comfort with the driving style required. Article continues below... Hamilton's 2026 reset Ferrari made a calculated decision in April 2025, stopping major development after determining the SF-25's concept carried irreparable limitations. Everything pivoted to 2026, where sweeping regulation changes offer a clean slate for all teams. The new rules introduce lighter, more agile cars with active aerodynamics, redesigned hybrid power units with an even split between combustion and electric power, and a manual override system replacing DRS. It represents the most significant overhaul in F1 history. For Hamilton, 2026 is critical. Reports suggest Ferrari are developing a split strategy to suit both him and Leclerc, with a third sidepod concept planned for the Australian season opener in March. Three separate pre-season testing sessions, starting in Barcelona on 26 January, provide crucial preparation time. That viral photograph from a year ago promised a fairytale ending to Hamilton's career. Instead, 2025 delivered pain. Now, the 41-year-old faces his last great challenge: proving the dream is merely delayed, not dead.