Ferrari to drop Vettel-style design philosophy and follow Mercedes-inspired path for Hamilton next season

The 2025 Formula 1 season quickly turned into one that Scuderia Ferrari will want to move on from as fast as possible. What began with optimism and high expectations—especially after the blockbuster arrival of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton—ended in disappointment, inconsistency, and questions about the team’s long-term direction.Many supporters had hoped that the arrival of Lewis Hamilton would finally complete Ferrari’s long-missing championship puzzle, potentially ending a drought that has stretched since 2008. Charles Leclerc entered the year as one of the grid’s most in-form drivers after a strong close to the 2024 campaign, but the momentum evaporated almost immediately as the SF-25 proved unpredictable and difficult to unlock.The season quickly became one that team principal Fred Vasseur is unlikely to remember fondly. Lewis Hamilton endured the first year of his Formula 1 career without a single Grand Prix podium, while Charles Leclerc ended the season without a race victory, an increasingly painful statistic for a driver expected to lead the Scuderia into a new era.

Pressure has grown around Fred Vasseur’s management, particularly after his bold decision to halt aerodynamic development of the SF-25 as early as April. That call, intended to redirect resources toward the 2026 regulations, ultimately backfired as Ferrari slipped behind rivals in both qualifying performance and race pace.

Despite the frustrations, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend provided a glimpse of Ferrari’s future direction. The team introduced an early-stage component expected to form part of the 2026 Formula 1 project—a season that will see sweeping aerodynamic and power unit changes. While minor on the surface, the development could prove to be a crucial step as Ferrari searches for advantages under the upcoming rule set.

Ferrari testing new steering wheel concept for 2026 to support Lewis Hamilton’s driving style

Throughout the 2025 season, Lewis Hamilton has been heavily involved in Ferrari’s development programme. Drawing on his years of championship-winning experience with Mercedes, he has provided constant technical feedback in an attempt to help the Scuderia understand the SF-25’s weaknesses. Not all members of the team have welcomed his frank assessments, but Hamilton’s input continues to shape the early groundwork for the 2026 car.

A new report from Motorsport Italia has revealed an intriguing detail: Ferrari has begun evaluating a completely redesigned steering wheel concept influenced by Lewis Hamilton’s preferences. During Friday practice in Abu Dhabi, Arthur Leclerc—driving in Lewis Hamilton’s car for FP1—tested a prototype version of the new wheel.

This prototype is said to be significantly lighter and less cluttered than the current design, removing several of the highly complex controls that have accumulated over the years. According to the report, the revised approach mirrors the simpler style Lewis Hamilton used throughout his Mercedes tenure, where key settings were distributed across fewer buttons and more intuitive sub-menus.

The interest in simplification comes at a crucial moment. With the DRS system officially retired after the Abu Dhabi finale and new 2026 aerodynamic rules arriving, drivers will face different overtaking tools, power deployment modes, and real-time adjustments. Ferrari’s redesign aims to give both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc a cleaner interface at a time when cognitive load inside the cockpit may increase.

The current Ferrari steering wheel reportedly traces its origins back to four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, who preferred a vast array of functions within immediate reach. Over time, additional layers of control were added to suit Vettel’s detailed driving preferences. The result is a highly complex panel that can overwhelm even elite drivers when the car is unstable.

By contrast, the 2026 concept embraces a more Mercedes-style philosophy: fewer paddles, fewer front-facing buttons, deeper menu structures, and a layout that prioritizes clarity over customization. Ferrari believes this more streamlined format could give Lewis Hamilton greater confidence in wheel-to-wheel scenarios next season.

Sebastian Vettel’s advice to Lewis Hamilton—and why it could not fix the SF-25

Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton share a long history as title rivals, and both eventually attempted to lead Ferrari back to championship glory. After moving from Red Bull to the Scuderia, Sebastian Vettel initially looked capable of restoring Ferrari’s winning pedigree, only for his challenge to fade—and ultimately to be overshadowed by the rise of Charles Leclerc.

In his first year with Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton reportedly received guidance from Sebastian Vettel about adjusting to the culture and expectations inside Maranello. However, even Vettel’s experience could not provide solutions for the structural limitations of the SF-25. The car’s unpredictable handling left little room for any driver—even one of Hamilton’s calibre—to compensate through driving skill alone.

The performance gap between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc during the 2025 season has prompted scrutiny and debate across the paddock. Many observers believe the disparity reflects the car’s erratic balance rather than a decline from Hamilton. Ferrari hopes that giving Lewis Hamilton a familiar steering interface for 2026, combined with a clean-sheet chassis and power unit design, will allow the 40-year-old to rediscover his comfort and consistency.

As Ferrari prepares for a major overhaul ahead of the new regulations, the Maranello team’s willingness to adapt to Lewis Hamilton’s preferred cockpit environment signals a broader cultural shift. The Scuderia knows that maximizing both Lewis Hamilton’s experience and Charles Leclerc’s speed will be essential if they intend to challenge for championships in the new era of Formula 1.