2026: new rules, new Lewis?
When asked whether the new 2026 Formula 1 regulations could represent a mental reset for Lewis Hamilton, Cigarini responded: “Every regulation change is an opportunity for someone who may not have been able to seize it before.
“His experience and his ability to understand the new style of driving could help in some way, but he must have a car that is efficient.
“He is used to driving a car that behaves in a certain way, both thanks to him and thanks to the technical department. A car that gives him confidence, not as much on the edge as the Ferrari of today. A car that is more solid, more ‘honest’ in its behaviour.
“He has a champion teammate in Charles Leclerc, who already has a lot of experience, so I think it could be a mental reset for him. But I do not know how ambitious Hamilton is in imposing his way of being at Ferrari, nor how well or precisely it will be received. From some of the statements he makes from time to time, it feels like he is sounding an alarm bell.”
Does Hamilton need help?
The natural question arose: what would Cigarini think, if he were working at Ferrari today, about Lewis Hamilton’s words? Would he notice an evident difficulty from a mental perspective?
“If you are inside the team you know dynamics that maybe make you understand better why he says certain things. From the outside I can say that he asks a lot from himself, and he asks a lot from the people around him,” he explained.
“I made a post on Instagram recently, because I was thinking about this situation, and it occurred to me that something that worked really well for Hamilton at Mercedes – and which does not exist at Ferrari in the same role – was Niki Lauda: someone who acted as a bridge between the team and the driver, bringing across what Hamilton wanted in a slightly less blunt way. Someone who could serve as a spokesperson and as a glue between the whole team and the driver. That was something Lauda could do, and something that was really good for Hamilton.”
The interpretation of the former Ferrari engineer is particularly interesting: with a figure acting as an intermediary between the seven-time world champion and the team leadership, Hamilton’s messages might carry greater weight and effectiveness.
Unfortunately, since 2019, Niki Lauda is no longer able to help him. But perhaps another historical figure from Formula 1 could step in with a similar role.
In any case, one thing is certain: Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari will do everything in their power to make their partnership a success.
In the past, with champions such as Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, giving everything was still not enough. And Scuderia Ferrari cannot afford another failure.
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