Compared to the zero podium finishes he managed in 2025, Lewis Hamilton has already improved on last season’s results in the opening five races of the new Formula 1 campaign. His first year at Ferrari had been deeply disappointing, both because of the enormous expectations surrounding the arrival of the seven-time world champion in Maranello and because Lewis Hamilton never truly looked comfortable with the car.
The British driver struggled to integrate into his new environment, adapt to Ferrari’s procedures and become fully familiar with the Scuderia’s working methods and technical tools.
Those challenges left Lewis Hamilton trailing team-mate Charles Leclerc by a significant margin and made him the target of criticism from disappointed Ferrari fans.
Improved engineer relationship helping Lewis Hamilton
This season, however, the seven-time world champion sits just three points behind Charles Leclerc in the championship standings, surprising many insiders and creating growing anticipation over how his campaign could unfold as Formula 1 heads deeper into the European leg of the calendar.
Strong performances in China and Canada—two circuits that have historically suited Lewis Hamilton—have helped fuel optimism, but the British driver himself has pointed to another important factor behind his improved form: a much stronger connection with his race engineer, Carlo Santi.
Although Carlo Santi initially stepped into the role as a temporary replacement following Riccardo Adami’s departure, he is increasingly winning Lewis Hamilton’s trust. That appears to make the expected arrival of former McLaren engineer Cedric Michel-Grosjean as Hamilton’s new permanent race engineer far less imminent.
“Vasseur has moved mountains”
The improved working relationship appears to stem in part from changes Lewis Hamilton personally requested—changes that Ferrari team principal Fréd Vasseur was quick to support.
“My engineer is really fantastic,” the British driver said. “I enjoy working with him. The second engineer also did a great job this weekend and helped me unlock even more performance from the car, getting it into an optimal window.” – “For the first time, I was finally able to attack every corner. There were changes I needed to ask for. Vasseur has been incredibly supportive and, once again, he has done everything to make me feel comfortable. He has moved mountains, and that is finally starting to show in my performances.” – the British driver concluded.
Frederic Vasseur’s relentless willingness to adjust internal structures to unlock Lewis Hamilton’s true potential highlights how crucial operational harmony is within modern Formula 1 tracking loops. While the design departments and factory technicians continuously process complex simulation data and software mapping profiles to maximize vehicle dynamics, a driver’s psychological comfort remains the ultimate prerequisite for on-track performance. As the Scuderia refines its chassis compliance and aerodynamic update paths ahead of the tight, low-speed barrier constraints of Monaco, capitalizing on this surging garage momentum will be a core priority. If the Maranello crew can continuously support the Briton’s refined engineering feedback with an uncompromised mechanical package on Sunday, the Italian stable possesses the precise competitive focus needed to secure routine victories throughout the 2026 season.
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