Lewis Hamilton’s former Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas, has offered his thoughts on how the British driver’s second year with Ferrari could be completely different from the current one. Lewis Hamilton, now in his debut season with the Scuderia, is experiencing a highly inconsistent year. The seven-time world champion is still chasing his first podium finish in red, despite coming close on several occasions. His victory in the Chinese Sprint race, which remains his only win so far this season, stands as a positive highlight. Valtteri Bottas, who shared the Mercedes garage with Lewis Hamilton for five seasons, reflected not only on the Briton’s 2025 campaign but also on what could lie ahead in 2026.
Looking ahead to 2026
In an exclusive interview with RacingNews365, Valtteri Bottas explained: “It’s been a huge change for him. He spent so much time at Mercedes — he was completely used to the way the team worked and knew everyone inside out. Then you move to a team with a completely different mindset, new people around you, and a different type of car with another power unit — it’s not an easy transition.”
However, Valtteri Bottas believes it’s just a matter of time before fans see the Lewis Hamilton of the Mercedes era again. “I would love to see him back at the level I once saw him reach at his best. Time will tell,” he commented.
According to Valtteri Bottas, who now serves as Mercedes’ third driver, the challenges Lewis Hamilton has faced in 2025 could ultimately prove valuable as preparation for 2026. “It’s much easier to start the second year with a new team. You’ve already done all the groundwork during the previous 12 months, and now it’s about continuing from where you left off in the final race of the previous season. You have more time to process everything and fine-tune the details — both for yourself and for your relationship with the team members. The second year is definitely easier, so I think we’ll see that from him next season,” the former Williams and Mercedes driver concluded.
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