Three races into Ferrari’s 2026 campaign, Lewis Hamilton looks rejuvenated – his voice steadier, his conviction sharper, and his results finally reflecting the effort he poured into one of the most challenging chapters of his career.
After a bruising debut season with the Scuderia, the seven-time world champion has begun to reassert himself at the front of the grid – and silence the noise that once surrounded him.
Last year tested Hamilton in ways few could have predicted. A legend of the sport, with a record-breaking résumé, the Briton suddenly found himself grappling with unfamiliar machinery, a new culture, and questions about whether his peak had passed.
Sitting down with Formula 1.com’s Lawrence Barretto at Suzuka, Hamilton opened up about a journey that has shifted from doubt to renewed belief.
"I mean I would say when you have difficult years, there are lots of questions all over the place," Hamilton reflected.
Those questions weren’t just internal. Critics circled, quick to interpret his struggles as decline rather than transition. Hamilton, however, never allowed that narrative to take hold.
"Ultimately, I saw some of the certain individuals who have not had anything near the success I have had just talking negatively as they continue to do so today,” he added.
“And it felt great to be able to come back, to come into this season and start off strong, to be able to show that I still have what it takes to be able to compete at the front and I’ll continue to show up and try to deliver in that way."
That mindset defined his winter. Hamilton doubled down – training harder, embedding himself deeper within Ferrari, even living trackside at Fiorano to strengthen his connection with the team. It was a reset not just in performance, but in purpose.
A car – and a team – transformed
The early signs in 2026 suggest that work is paying off. With Formula 1’s latest generation of cars better aligned with his driving style, Hamilton has found a rhythm that eluded him throughout the previous era.
"It has started out as a really good year," he said. "Just the energy within the team and how we are all operating together has been really positive.
"I’m enjoying driving the new car. It’s a car, which I got to play a heavy role in helping to develop last year through the simulator running, so it is nice to see some of the things I asked for come through onto the design of the car, and get to feel them, and feel them positively."
The numbers back it up. Points in every race, a growing comfort in the cockpit, and a close fight with teammate Charles Leclerc – all indicators that Hamilton is no longer searching, but building.
That progress, he explains, is rooted in understanding – something that only comes with time.
"It is a huge difference and a huge undertaking and I think people, for sure when they watch, they will not understand how big it is when you move to a new team," he explained.
"Of course, you can arrive and jump into a cockpit but learning the new tools, particularly a new culture and a new way that people like to work and adopting that into the way you like to work.
"And then, if you look at last year for example, it was the end of an era of cars that we didn’t develop throughout the year, so we were kind of stuck with what we had, which ultimately wasn’t good enough for us to compete for wins.
“But we took so many learnings throughout last year as a team, and we are applying those to this year and it has started off so much better."
The turning point
If the opening race in Melbourne hinted at a resurgence, the podium in China confirmed it. For Hamilton, it wasn’t just another top-three finish – it was a deeply personal milestone.
"Obviously I had the Sprint last year, which was amazing, and my Dad was there, and then to bring my Mum to China and have this amazing week with her and then have my first podium was very, very – it made it incredibly special, the whole experience," he says.
©Ferrari
"I have been trying to make it to that podium for so long, I’ve never had to work so hard just to get a podium.
"So I was very, very grateful and it felt like the first, even though I have been fortunate to have had quite a few. It felt even more special to be in red but also to be up there with Bono [his former race engineer], and Kimi [Antonelli, who replaced Hamilton] with his first win and George [Russell, Hamilton's old team mate], so it was very nostalgic I would say."
That moment – equal parts relief and reward – captured the essence of Hamilton’s comeback. Not dominance, but resilience.
Building momentum
Even a quieter weekend in Japan, where Hamilton finished sixth, hasn’t dulled the optimism within Ferrari. If anything, it reinforces how far both driver and team have come. Results that once felt disappointing now sit within a broader upward trajectory.
"The team have been amazing for the past year, particularly in the garage, the support has been immense," he acknowledged.
"So, every weekend fell short last year, and I’d come back...you feel gutted and you feel bad that you ultimately haven’t been able to deliver for the team but they are always like, next time, next time.
"They are always so positive and supportive, so to finally have the podium, come back and see how happy and how grateful they were to be a part of it and for us to have that result really warmed my heart.
“That just encourages me to continue to push even harder and continue to dig deep and continue to build with the team."
Behind the scenes, Hamilton is now more influential than ever. With Ferrari committing early to its 2026 development path, he has been able to shape the car in ways that simply weren’t possible before.
Read also: Leclerc points to one crucial area holding Ferrari back
"We are seeing development coming through, I was at the factory last week and this is the time you can go to the different departments, you can hold meetings with people and say hey, what are you focusing on here, these are the areas I am really struggling with the car, can you put some more resource here, this is exactly what we need," he elaborated.
"Last year we couldn’t do that because there was no point going and having those meetings for the car we were in. But, at least we got to have those in plan for this year."
Three races do not define a season – but they can reshape a narrative. For Hamilton, the early phase of 2026 has done exactly that.
The doubts that once lingered have been replaced by something far more powerful: evidence. Evidence that he can still adapt, still lead, and still fight at the front of Formula 1.
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