Former Formula 1 drivers Damon Hill and Johnny Herbert believe Lewis Hamilton’s remarkable turnaround at Ferrari has not happened by chance. According to the two British pundits, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion has played a major role behind the scenes in reshaping the Scuderia’s direction, helping create the conditions that have allowed him to return to winning form during the 2026 Formula 1 season.
After a difficult debut campaign with Ferrari in 2025, many observers questioned whether Lewis Hamilton’s move from Mercedes had come too late in his career. The British driver endured one of the most challenging seasons of his Formula 1 career, failing to secure a single podium finish and ending the championship a significant 86 points behind teammate Charles Leclerc.
Despite those setbacks, Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari continued working throughout the winter to address the weaknesses that had limited both the driver and the team. The effort appears to have paid off. The 2026 season has seen a completely different version of Lewis Hamilton, with the Ferrari driver consistently fighting at the front and once again demonstrating the qualities that helped him become one of the most successful drivers in Formula 1 history.
Strong performances in Monaco and Canada, where Lewis Hamilton secured consecutive second-place finishes, laid the foundations for an even bigger breakthrough. That breakthrough arrived in Spain, where Lewis Hamilton delivered a commanding performance to win the Barcelona Grand Prix and claim his maiden Formula 1 victory as a Ferrari driver.
The result further strengthened his championship campaign, with Lewis Hamilton now occupying second place in the drivers’ standings and emerging as the closest challenger to championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
Damon Hill believes Lewis Hamilton pushed Ferrari to make key changes
During a discussion on the Stay On Track podcast, Damon Hill and Johnny Herbert examined the factors behind Ferrari’s improved competitiveness and Lewis Hamilton’s resurgence. Both former drivers suggested that the British veteran has exerted considerable influence inside the team since arriving in Maranello.
Damon Hill argued that Lewis Hamilton likely refused to accept the difficulties he experienced during his first season and instead pushed Ferrari to make important technical and operational adjustments. The 1996 Formula 1 world champion suggested that Lewis Hamilton would have strongly expressed his concerns and expectations, ensuring that Ferrari developed a package more closely aligned with his preferred driving characteristics.
According to Damon Hill, Lewis Hamilton appeared determined to stand his ground and advocate for the changes he believed were necessary. In his view, the Ferrari driver successfully convinced the team to move in a direction that better suited his style, and the improved results now visible on track suggest those efforts have produced tangible benefits.
The former Williams champion indicated that the dramatic contrast between Lewis Hamilton’s struggles in 2025 and his success in 2026 points to substantial work having taken place behind closed doors. Damon Hill believes the current Ferrari package is far more compatible with Lewis Hamilton’s natural driving instincts, allowing him to extract performance at a level that was previously impossible.
Johnny Herbert highlights improved communication within Ferrari
Johnny Herbert shared a similar view and suggested that Lewis Hamilton’s influence has extended beyond the car itself. The former Benetton and Sauber driver pointed to the importance of internal relationships, particularly the connection between Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur.
Johnny Herbert explained that Lewis Hamilton almost certainly held detailed discussions with Fred Vasseur regarding the areas where Ferrari needed to improve. In his opinion, those conversations helped strengthen the organisation and contributed to the team’s recent progress.
One area that particularly impressed Johnny Herbert was the development of Lewis Hamilton’s relationship with his race engineer. Compared to the situation seen during the previous season, when communication sometimes appeared fragmented and inconsistent, Ferrari now seems to have established a much stronger operational structure around its star driver.
Johnny Herbert suggested that this improved collaboration has played a crucial role in Lewis Hamilton’s return to the top step of the podium. Formula 1 success is often determined by small details, and the relationship between driver and engineer remains one of the most important elements in maximising performance during a race weekend.
Ferrari’s faith in Lewis Hamilton is delivering results
As the discussion continued, Damon Hill returned to the subject of Ferrari’s willingness to trust Lewis Hamilton’s judgement. The former world champion argued that the Italian team deserves credit for listening to its most experienced driver and giving him the support required to implement changes.
According to Damon Hill, Ferrari’s decision to back Lewis Hamilton’s vision is now producing clear rewards. He suggested that the British driver can legitimately point to the recent results as proof that his recommendations were correct and that the team simply needed to trust his experience and understanding of what he requires from a Formula 1 car.
Damon Hill also described Lewis Hamilton as a driver who relies heavily on instinct and feel. Unlike some competitors who are comfortable adapting to almost any technical configuration, Lewis Hamilton has historically performed best when a car behaves in a way that matches his natural driving preferences.
That characteristic, Damon Hill explained, has been evident throughout Lewis Hamilton’s career. When the car provides the feedback and balance he expects, the Ferrari driver can operate at an exceptionally high level. However, when forced to follow a direction that conflicts with those instincts, performance can suffer, as seen during much of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Lewis Hamilton’s leadership could be Ferrari’s missing ingredient
Johnny Herbert concluded by highlighting a broader issue that has followed Ferrari for many years. Despite frequently possessing the resources, talent and technical capability required to challenge for championships, the Scuderia has often failed to consistently convert its potential into sustained success.
In Johnny Herbert’s view, Ferrari may have finally found a figure capable of bringing together all the necessary elements. While Charles Leclerc remains a crucial part of Ferrari’s long-term future and one of the fastest drivers on the Formula 1 grid, Lewis Hamilton’s experience, leadership and ability to drive organisational change could prove equally valuable.
For Johnny Herbert, the recent improvement in Ferrari’s fortunes is not solely about outright speed. It is also about leadership, communication and creating an environment where every department works towards the same objective. The former Formula 1 driver believes Lewis Hamilton possesses a unique ability to unite those elements, and Ferrari is now beginning to reap the benefits.
With Lewis Hamilton winning races again, Charles Leclerc continuing to score strongly, and Ferrari showing genuine championship-contending pace, the team’s transformation is becoming one of the defining stories of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Leave a Reply