Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has revealed that Lewis Hamilton has become a far more influential figure within the Scuderia’s technical structure for the 2026 Formula 1 season, playing a direct role in shaping key aspects of the team’s latest car development direction.
After a challenging debut campaign in red, where Lewis Hamilton failed to secure a podium finish in his first season with Ferrari, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion repeatedly highlighted a lack of involvement in the design direction of the previous generation SF-25 car. That car had largely been developed before his arrival, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz heavily shaping its concept.
Now, however, the situation has shifted significantly, with Lewis Hamilton appearing far more integrated into Ferrari’s long-term technical project and visibly more confident in the opening phase of the 2026 season.
Lewis Hamilton’s influence begins from the earliest Ferrari 2026 development stages
Speaking in an interview with The Race, Fred Vasseur explained that it had been psychologically difficult for Lewis Hamilton to arrive at Ferrari after more than a decade with Mercedes, where he had been deeply embedded in every stage of car development.
At Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton had spent 12 consecutive seasons contributing to continuous championship-winning projects. In contrast, his early period at Ferrari left him observing a structure already in motion, without meaningful input into the foundational design philosophy of the SF-25.
According to Fred Vasseur, that dynamic began to change during the development cycle of the 2026 car. Midway through last year, Ferrari engineers started actively involving both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in key technical discussions, particularly around suspension characteristics and broader handling concepts.
This shift has transformed Lewis Hamilton’s mindset, with the British driver now feeling more like a leader within the project rather than an external addition adapting to an existing framework.
Ferrari leadership believes driver involvement has unlocked performance gains
Fred Vasseur explained that one of the most important psychological factors in modern Formula 1 development is the sense of ownership drivers feel over the machinery they are racing.
He noted that when Lewis Hamilton works in the simulator and is asked for direct feedback on areas like suspension behaviour, aerodynamic balance, and directional development choices for the 2026 Ferrari Formula 1 car, it creates a stronger sense of responsibility and confidence.
Rather than feeling that technical decisions are made independently by engineers without driver influence, Lewis Hamilton now experiences the project as something he is actively shaping from its earliest stages. According to Fred Vasseur, this distinction is crucial from both a technical and mental performance perspective.
Charles Leclerc, who has been with Ferrari for several seasons and is already deeply familiar with the team’s internal processes, continues to provide a stable reference point, allowing Ferrari to align both drivers’ feedback into a more coherent development direction.
Fred Vasseur suggested that this collaborative environment has helped Lewis Hamilton close the gap to Charles Leclerc in terms of adaptation, particularly as new 2026 Formula 1 regulations have significantly altered car behaviour and aerodynamic sensitivity.
Lewis Hamilton shows stronger early-season form with Ferrari in 2026
The impact of this increased involvement is already visible in Lewis Hamilton’s early-season performance metrics. After scoring only a handful of points in the opening rounds of the previous campaign, the British driver has made a significantly stronger start to the 2026 Formula 1 season, collecting 41 points across the first three races.
This contrast has been widely interpreted within the paddock as a combination of improved Ferrari competitiveness and a more comfortable working relationship between Lewis Hamilton and the team’s technical structure.
Charles Leclerc has also continued to deliver strong performances, maintaining his reputation as one of the most consistent qualifiers on the grid, but the gap between the two Ferrari drivers has appeared more manageable in the early stages of the season compared to previous years.
Miami remains a statistical challenge for Lewis Hamilton
Looking ahead to the Miami Grand Prix, the seven-time world champion faces one of the few remaining circuits on the Formula 1 calendar where he has yet to achieve a top-three finish in a Grand Prix race.
Alongside circuits like Zandvoort and Las Vegas, Miami has historically been a difficult venue for the seven-time world champion, despite his extensive success across nearly every other modern Formula 1 track.
While Lewis Hamilton has managed to reach the podium in both Las Vegas and the Netherlands in past seasons, Miami remains an exception, with his only notable success at the circuit coming in a Sprint format rather than a full Grand Prix race.
It is also important to note that no Ferrari driver has yet secured a podium finish at the Miami Grand Prix since the event joined the Formula 1 calendar in 2022, highlighting a broader team challenge rather than an individual shortcoming.
Ferrari brings major upgrade package to Miami
Despite the historical difficulties, expectations within Ferrari remain optimistic heading into the weekend. The team is preparing to introduce a significant upgrade package at the Miami Grand Prix, aimed at improving aerodynamic efficiency and overall race pace.
These developments are expected to be particularly relevant under the new 2026 Formula 1 technical regulations, where small gains in aerodynamic stability and tyre management can produce large performance swings across different circuit types.
Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are expected to play a key role in evaluating the effectiveness of these updates throughout the weekend, as Ferrari continues its push to close the gap to Mercedes at the front of the grid.
