The relationship between Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari is clearly on an upward trajectory, according to team principal Frédéric Vasseur, who has analyzed the progress made during the early stages of the 2026 Formula 1 season. After a challenging debut campaign in 2025, the seven-time world champion is now building a much stronger connection with the Scuderia, opening the door to more optimistic prospects in the fight at the front against Mercedes.
Having joined Ferrari in 2025, Lewis Hamilton experienced, for the first time in his career, a season without a single podium finish. As a result, expectations heading into 2026 were far from encouraging. However, the British driver has started the new season with a noticeably improved rhythm, securing his first podium in red at just the second race of the year, the Chinese Grand Prix.
Frédéric Vasseur emphasized that Lewis Hamilton now appears significantly more comfortable compared to twelve months ago, largely because of his deeper involvement in the development of the SF-26. “Honestly, it is always much easier in the second year, because you are part of the project from the beginning,” said Fred Vasseur.
“He was in the simulator from the middle of 2025, when we started the project. He feels more involved compared to a year ago. When he arrived in January, the car was already ready. He knows everyone better, the relationship continues to improve. It is also easier for him to interact with people and work with everyone.”
Ferrari has started the new season as the second-fastest team on the grid, behind Mercedes, whose drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli have won the opening two races. Fred Vasseur added that this improved version of Lewis Hamilton will be crucial in helping the Maranello-based team close the gap to the front.
“Step by step, we need to make small improvements, because that is how we will be able to close the gap,” he concluded.
With growing confidence, stronger integration within the team, and a more competitive car, Lewis Hamilton’s evolving relationship with Ferrari could prove to be a key factor in the Scuderia’s ambitions for the remainder of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
The 2026 campaign therefore represents a new chapter for the Hamilton-Ferrari partnership, moving from a period of adjustment to one of active contention. With Hamilton now deeply woven into the technical fabric of the SF-26, the team is banking on his experience and newfound comfort to challenge his former team for supremacy. Based on the content of these early races, the momentum at Maranello is building, and the Tifosi have every reason to be optimistic about the battles ahead.
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