Emerson Fittipaldi believes Lewis Hamilton’s improved performances for Ferrari in 2026 have provided a powerful response to the critics who questioned whether age had reduced his ability to compete with Charles Leclerc. After enduring a difficult first season at Maranello, the seven-time world champion has regained confidence in the car and finished ahead of his team-mate on several occasions.
The former Formula 1 world champion has particular sympathy for Hamilton because he faced similar judgements during his own career. Fittipaldi explained that older drivers are often quickly portrayed as having lost their speed, even when their results may also be influenced by machinery, adaptation and other circumstances.
Emerson Fittipaldi sees Lewis Hamilton answering his age critics
Fittipaldi was delighted to see both Hamilton and Ferrari performing strongly again. He recalled how the British driver had been heavily criticised during the previous season, when some observers argued that he was too old to defeat Leclerc or continue competing at the highest level.
Those comments felt familiar to the Brazilian, who experienced comparable criticism in both Formula 1 and IndyCar. Fittipaldi acknowledged that once a successful driver reaches a certain age, poor results can quickly lead to claims that the individual can no longer perform, regardless of the wider circumstances behind those performances.
Hamilton’s 2026 campaign has altered that conversation. His growing confidence and stronger results have supported the view that his difficult opening year with the Scuderia did not provide a complete measure of his ability. The improvement has also added another dimension to the debate over how Ferrari should manage the competitive relationship between its two drivers, particularly as Hamilton and Leclerc continue shaping the team-orders discussion.
Fittipaldi emphasised that Hamilton’s resurgence was positive not only for the driver and the Maranello team, but also for Formula 1 and its supporters. In his assessment, seeing Ferrari return to winning form while Hamilton also fought at the front provided an important boost for the championship.
Why the 2026 F1 regulations may be helping Lewis Hamilton
Emerson Fittipaldi believes the characteristics of the new generation of Formula 1 cars may be contributing to Hamilton’s improved form. He noted that the 2026 machinery is smaller and produces less aerodynamic downforce, making it more difficult for drivers to extract maximum performance.
In Fittipaldi’s view, those demands place greater emphasis on natural ability behind the wheel. A car with less aerodynamic assistance requires drivers to rely more heavily on control, sensitivity and confidence when approaching the limit, qualities he considers among Hamilton’s greatest strengths.
The Brazilian therefore suggested that the regulatory changes are helping to showcase the seven-time world champion’s talent more clearly. Rather than viewing Hamilton’s resurgence as surprising, Fittipaldi sees it as the result of a technically demanding car rewarding a driver with exceptional control and experience.
Ferrari’s own progress has also played an important role. Hamilton’s recovery has coincided with the team becoming more competitive during the opening half of the season, even though Frédéric Vasseur has acknowledged that Ferrari’s 2026 improvement is still not sufficient to satisfy its championship ambitions.
Hamilton now understands Ferrari’s engineers and systems
Fittipaldi also highlighted the value of Hamilton entering his second season at Maranello. The British driver has now had more time to understand the engineers around him, become familiar with Ferrari’s internal processes and adapt to the systems used by the team.
That continuity matters after Hamilton spent the majority of his Formula 1 career in a different working environment. Even a driver with seven world championships must learn new procedures, communication styles and technical preferences after joining another constructor, especially when adapting to a different car at the same time.
According to Fittipaldi, the Briton’s exceptional feel from the cockpit and natural car control have become increasingly visible as that familiarity has developed. His assessment suggests that the driver’s performance is now benefiting from both sides of the equation: a more suitable generation of Formula 1 car and a stronger understanding of how to work effectively within Ferrari.
The resulting improvement has helped Hamilton recover points and momentum, although costly incidents and penalties have still affected his campaign. A review of the opportunities Hamilton lost during Ferrari’s title challenge shows why his championship position has not always reflected his strongest performances.
Charles Leclerc remains the benchmark inside Ferrari
Hamilton’s resurgence has inevitably been measured against Charles Leclerc, who entered their partnership with extensive knowledge of Ferrari and its working methods. The Monegasque driver’s familiarity with the team created a demanding internal benchmark during Hamilton’s adaptation period.
The seven-time world champion’s ability to finish ahead of Leclerc on multiple occasions in 2026 has therefore strengthened Fittipaldi’s argument that age was not the defining cause of his earlier difficulties. It also reinforces the importance of Ferrari providing both drivers with a car capable of allowing their respective strengths to emerge.
Leclerc has continued pushing the team to maintain its technical momentum, urging the Scuderia to remain aggressive in the 2026 Formula 1 development race. Further gains could give both sides of the garage more opportunities to challenge for victories during the remainder of the campaign.
For Fittipaldi, however, Hamilton’s recent form has already made one point clear. The difficulties of his first Ferrari season did not mean that the Briton had lost the talent required to compete at the front. With greater confidence, a deeper understanding of the team and a car that places more emphasis on driver control, the former champion believes Hamilton is once again demonstrating the qualities that defined his career.
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