After an extremely difficult first season, Lewis Hamilton claims to be approaching 2026 in a much more positive frame of mind. The Briton ensures that his relation with Ferrari has evolved profoundly.
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Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari caused a sensation in the Formula 1 paddock. However, the seven-time world champion’s first year within the Italian team proved to be much more difficult than expected.
Throughout the 2025 season, Hamilton never managed to reach the podium, a first in his entire F1 career. The Briton struggled to find the right pace behind the wheel of the Maranello car, which fueled questions about his decision to leave Mercedes, where he had built a large part of his record.
These difficulties marked a brutal contrast with the years of success he had experienced before. Adapting to a new environment and a new team proved more complex than expected for the British driver.
Hamilton admits to having gone through a difficult period
In several messages published in recent months, Hamilton has not hidden that this complicated season had an impact on him. The 44-year-old driver even admitted to having gone through a phase of doubt during this delicate period.
He notably explained that he had momentarily lost confidence in himself.
“I forgot who I was” he confided on social media, referring to the difficulties encountered during this first campaign with Ferrari.
Despite this complicated period, Hamilton also wanted to reassure his supporters about his future in the sport. The Briton clearly indicated that he had no intention of ending his career in the short term.
On the contrary, he seems more determined than ever to rectify the situation with Ferrari.
A now stronger relationship with the team
As the 2026 F1 season approaches, Hamilton believes his situation is now very different. After a full year spent working with the Italian team, he claims to better understand how Ferrari operates on a daily basis.
Winter testing also helped to strengthen his confidence and improve his integration within the group.
“It’s massively different from the first year, Hamilton explained to the media. The feeling is much more pleasant after spending a year with the team, understanding the culture, understanding and finding ways to work together.”
According to him, this better mutual understanding now allows the team and the driver to move in the same direction.
“We are in a good dynamic as a team now. I feel very in tune with the team today. I am much happier.”
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The challenge of adapting to the Ferrari culture
Before joining Ferrari, Hamilton had spent his entire career in Great Britain, first at McLaren and then at Mercedes. His arrival in Italy therefore plunged him into a totally different environment.
The driver recognizes that Ferrari’s working methods and internal culture differ significantly from what he knew before.
“It’s the culture, the difference in culture, the way the team works compared to what I’ve known in British teams” he explained.
According to him, the key was to gradually learn to better communicate and build a solid relationship with the members of the team.
“It’s really about getting to know each other: a lot of meetings, a lot of discussions, a lot of communication, and improving that communication.”
Hamilton also spent a lot of time at the Maranello factory to get more involved in the project.
Renewed confidence before the 2026 season
The Briton believes that the progress made in the second half of last season has laid the foundations for better collaboration for the future.
“We started doing that towards the end of last year, and even more so coming into this season, he explained. Last year was a very steep learning curve and we were learning a bit as we went along.”
But Hamilton is now much more optimistic for the future: “We are much more prepared this year and that really excites me.”
The British driver concludes by emphasizing that his initial conviction never disappeared.
“The confidence and the reason why I joined the team, the conviction I had when I arrived and what I think I can achieve with this team… today, it’s even stronger than before.”
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