Emerson Fittipaldi has defended Lewis Hamilton from criticism and believes Ferrari can give the seven-time Formula 1 world champion a genuine opportunity to fight for the title in 2027. Despite the difficulties that have shaped the early stages of Lewis Hamilton’s time at Maranello, the former Brazilian world champion remains convinced that the British driver still possesses the talent required to compete at the highest level.
The partnership between Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari has already generated plenty of debate, doubt and criticism, particularly after a difficult 2025 season. However, Emerson Fittipaldi believes it would be wrong to judge the project only through that first campaign, especially after the signs of improvement Ferrari and its driver have shown during 2026.
That view carries added significance in a season in which Ferrari’s technical weaknesses have made clear how difficult it remains to close the gap to its main rivals. The power unit in particular has remained a limiting factor during 2026, and that is an area no driver can compensate for indefinitely through individual performance alone. The issue has been visible repeatedly in the SF-26’s power and energy-management limitations.
Emerson Fittipaldi defends Lewis Hamilton after difficult Ferrari debut
Emerson Fittipaldi believes Lewis Hamilton’s first year with Ferrari needs to be understood as part of a wider adaptation process rather than treated as proof that the move had failed.
“Last year it really bothered me to hear people criticising Hamilton’s debut season at Ferrari,” Emerson Fittipaldi told Betway. “Every driver dreams of racing for Ferrari one day. I would have liked to, and Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet would have liked to as well, for example. When he was offered the chance to move to Ferrari, it was fantastic that he accepted a new challenge.”
The two-time Formula 1 world champion believes 2025 gave Lewis Hamilton the time needed to understand a completely different environment after his long spell at Mercedes.
“Last year was about getting to know the team, while this year he is showing that he is still extremely competitive. I am very happy to see that he is expressing all of his talent.”
That progression has also been reflected in Ferrari’s wider effort to adapt its working methods and car characteristics around its new driver, with Lewis Hamilton explaining how changes at Ferrari helped his 2026 resurgence.
Why Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari adaptation needed time
Emerson Fittipaldi’s argument focuses on an element that can easily be overlooked when assessing Lewis Hamilton’s performances. Moving to Maranello was not simply a change of colours. It meant entering an organisation with different procedures, working methods and technical references from those the British driver had experienced during his years at Mercedes.
Even a career as successful as Lewis Hamilton’s does not remove the need to adapt to a new technical and organisational environment. Ferrari’s systems, engineering processes and car philosophy represented a significant change, and the difficulties of 2025 therefore cannot automatically be treated as a final judgement on his ability to succeed with the Scuderia.
The distinction between driver performance and car potential is particularly important. Extracting the maximum from the machinery remains one of a Formula 1 driver’s most important responsibilities, but individual talent cannot permanently overcome a substantial technical deficit when rival teams hold an advantage in overall performance.
This is where Emerson Fittipaldi’s defence becomes especially relevant. He does not view Lewis Hamilton as a champion whose best years are necessarily behind him. Instead, he believes the seven-time world champion remains capable of delivering at a very high level if Ferrari can provide the machinery required to turn that competitiveness into results.
The contrast between the difficult 2025 campaign and the stronger performances seen during 2026 has also been explored in the season-long development of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari form.
Emerson Fittipaldi believes Ferrari can fight for the 2027 title
Emerson Fittipaldi’s confidence extends beyond Lewis Hamilton himself. The former world champion also sees encouraging progress from Ferrari, particularly in tyre management, an area that can have a major influence on race pace, strategic flexibility and the ability to use a car’s performance consistently across a Grand Prix.
“Next year Ferrari will have a good chance of winning the championship, I have no doubt,” Emerson Fittipaldi added. “Tyre management has definitely improved compared with the past.”
Ferrari has already shown progress in that area during 2026, including improvements to thermal control and tyre behaviour that have helped the SF-26 perform more consistently in demanding conditions. The wider trend has been visible in the team’s improved tyre management and race performance.
The full evolution of tyre usage across individual Grands Prix can also be explored through the F1 Tyre & Stint Analysis.
Ferrari still has major technical weaknesses to solve for 2027
Confidence over 2027 does not mean Ferrari’s current problems have disappeared. Maranello will need to prove that the progress seen in selected areas can be turned into a broader performance step.
The next Ferrari will need to be competitive aerodynamically, possess a strong chassis and, crucially, have a power unit capable of reducing the deficit that emerged during the 2026 season. Those areas are already central to the work being carried out by Loïc Serra, Enrico Gualtieri and their respective technical groups.
Ferrari’s power-unit department is already being reshaped around the 2027 project, with Enrico Gualtieri overseeing changes to the engine organisation while the chassis and aerodynamic structure led by Loïc Serra continues to evolve.
This remains the most delicate part of Ferrari’s challenge. Lewis Hamilton may still be capable of fighting at the front, but his sporting prospects will inevitably depend on whether the Scuderia can remove the weaknesses that currently restrict the car.
The new technical cycle and Ferrari’s engineering work provide opportunities, but they do not guarantee that the competitive order will automatically be reshuffled. A stronger power unit, effective aerodynamics and a competitive chassis will all be required if Maranello is to turn its current progress into a genuine championship challenge.
Lewis Hamilton’s 2027 hopes depend on Ferrari delivering the car
Emerson Fittipaldi is therefore choosing to look beyond Ferrari’s current difficulties. His assessment does not erase the Scuderia’s technical problems, nor does it transform expectations for 2027 into certainty. Instead, it underlines the importance of judging Lewis Hamilton within the competitive context in which he is operating.
The seven-time world champion’s ability remains only one part of the equation. For Ferrari to return to a genuine championship fight, the Maranello team will have to produce a car capable of matching the ambitions of its driver.
That means the optimism surrounding Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari heading towards 2027 will ultimately have to be validated by engineering progress and results on track. Emerson Fittipaldi believes the potential remains. The next step is for Ferrari to provide the technical package needed to turn that confidence into a sustained title challenge.
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