Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari victory at the Barcelona Grand Prix has changed the narrative of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The seven-time world champion no longer looks like the outsider many described for months, but rather a driver who has finally begun to influence the inner workings of the Maranello team: less simulator work, more track time, a more direct relationship with the engineers and mechanics in the garage, and some key technical decisions, starting with the brake issue.
On the other side of the garage is Charles Leclerc’s most delicate phase in recent years. The Monegasque driver has switched to the brake discs and pads used by his teammate and is still searching for consistency. Meanwhile, Kimi Antonelli, the championship leader with Mercedes, must bounce back from his retirement in Barcelona while defending his position in the internal battle against George Russell.
In this scenario, with Ferrari once again aggressive in development and the championship reopened by regulatory uncertainties surrounding power units and the ADUO system, Fanpage interviewed Ivan Capelli to analyze the current situation at Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, and the young Kimi Antonelli through the eyes of a former Formula 1 driver and former Ferrari racer.
The 63-year-old from Milan, who raced in Formula 1 for Ferrari and is now one of the most recognizable technical voices in television coverage of the championship, offers a clear assessment. In his view, Lewis Hamilton has not simply won a race; he has found a way to make Ferrari listen to him. According to Capelli, the Briton has stopped adapting himself to Ferrari and has instead started influencing the team’s direction, rediscovering enjoyment, rhythm, and confidence within his own “micro-world” of engineers and mechanics.
Perhaps the strongest observation concerns Charles Leclerc. According to the current Sky Sport commentator, if Charles begins following his teammate’s technical path without rediscovering his own identity as a driver, he risks suffering from the comparison. In the exclusive interview with Fanpage, Capelli also discusses Fred Vasseur’s management style, the Antonelli-Russell battle at Mercedes, the risk of team orders, a championship that could be transformed by upgrades, and a Formula 1 season still influenced by regulatory discussions but increasingly decided by driving performance.
“Last year, in 2025, he was certainly trying to understand Ferrari’s mechanisms. He tried to communicate with the team, but perhaps he hadn’t found the right approach. This year, after a full season of experience, and maybe after shedding some of the habits he had developed with British teams and British pragmatism, he has found a different dialogue with the team. Most importantly, he has succeeded in making himself heard, which is the key point. A driver who isn’t listened to or taken seriously will inevitably lose his way.”
Where did this turning point begin?
“This year he clearly found the right answers in certain areas. The most obvious example is the technical choice regarding the type of brake pads and brakes he was accustomed to using. From there, a new approach to work began, and above all a new way of adapting a car that, perhaps also because of the regulations, suits his driving style better.”
Is Hamilton truly part of Ferrari now?
“When a driver starts enjoying himself behind the wheel and is no longer fighting the car, that alone tells you a lot. Last year, in my opinion, Hamilton was enduring everything that was happening around him and wasn’t enjoying himself. This year he enjoys driving the car. He has a different dialogue with his engineer. You can hear it and feel it; his whole attitude toward the team has changed.”
Can you see it in the small details?
“The signs may not be spectacular, but they exist inside your own micro-world: your mechanics, your engineer, the people managing the engine. The trust you place in those individuals grows, and I think that is the most obvious change. Lewis is still the Lewis Hamilton we know: very eclectic when he arrives at the circuit, yet very private in other respects. Beyond the fact that he has confirmed his relationship, or at least his friendship, with Kim Kardashian, it seems he has also found balance in that aspect of his life. When these things fall into place, driving often becomes more natural as well.”
Is the simulator issue a personal choice or a rejection of Ferrari’s tools?
“Some drivers adapt perfectly to simulators because of the path they followed growing up. Others, like Hamilton, come from a different generation. He witnessed simulators being introduced and perhaps never fully adapted to them or fully embraced their essence. What may have happened is that Hamilton rediscovered a more direct and fundamental dialogue, which is ultimately what matters.”
But simulators are central to modern Formula 1.
“Formula 1 today is extremely sophisticated. Engineers focus on differences of just five degrees in tyre temperature. These are tiny details, but they can make a huge difference in lap time. Hamilton has probably rediscovered his own way of working. The simulator may receive enormous trust from engineers, but perhaps he doesn’t feel completely comfortable with it. Maybe he cannot find that famous Formula 1 keyword everyone talks about: correlation. Correlation between what he feels in the simulator and what he experiences on track, or between the simulator’s aerodynamic figures and the real-world car.”
Does driver feeling still matter most?
“In the end, everything comes down to the sensations you have when you’re behind the wheel. If those sensations are right, every tool in the world can only confirm what you’re looking for: balance. Hamilton has probably found a new way of working, perhaps setting aside the idea that the simulator can provide every answer. Maybe the answers are elsewhere.”
Can Hamilton genuinely reopen the title fight?
“This is the first year under these regulations. Mercedes certainly got the car right from the start, but we have seen teams introduce upgrades at different moments and improve immediately. Following Toto Wolff’s comments, and he obviously has more experience than all of us, I think this championship will take a very specific direction once the major upgrades arrive and teams continue bringing new developments to the track.”
Ferrari looks more alive this year.
“That is the real difference between last year’s Ferrari and this year’s Ferrari. Last year the team almost seemed passive, with an attitude of: ‘We brought an upgrade, it didn’t work, now we’ll see.’ There wasn’t the same determination or willingness to introduce new ideas. This year they launched the car, went to Bahrain, and already had new components. Then they arrived at the opening races with more updates. Barcelona brought another important aerodynamic package. This is a living Ferrari. It’s a team that keeps introducing new developments, and that stimulates the drivers and encourages engineers to keep searching for solutions. When those solutions work, you realize you’re moving in the right direction.”
Could the championship become truly exciting?
“Everything still needs to be confirmed. But Ferrari is there. Ferrari is alive. Ferrari is part of the fight. If they can find a few more tenths through the ADUO system or other areas, things become very interesting because the competitive order could genuinely change from one Grand Prix to the next.”
Do you see the Lewis Hamilton of the Mercedes glory years again?
“When Lewis finds balance, we’ve seen what he can do. He certainly hasn’t forgotten how to drive. He has rediscovered rhythm and confidence, and yesterday there were moments that reminded me of the famous ‘Hammertime.’ When they told him, ‘You need to lap in 1:20.900,’ he immediately started producing 1:20.900 laps and destroyed the competition within a few laps. In a way, he has blossomed again.”
Has Charles Leclerc lost some of his certainty?
“When you lose confidence in certain things, life becomes difficult. If you start copying what your teammate does and it doesn’t suit you, you’re in trouble. You need to rediscover yourself and your instincts. George Russell said something similar after taking pole on Saturday. He explained that he had seen Kimi Antonelli doing certain things and wanted to imitate him, but then realized it didn’t work and returned to a car setup that suited him.”
How significant are technical differences really?
“First, we need to establish whether those differences actually exist. Drivers are very skilled at sending messages that can sometimes distract from reality. That said, Charles Leclerc needs consistency. He has always been able to compensate for a car’s weaknesses through sheer talent. Even when the car wasn’t at the top level, he could make it perform as if it were. But when you follow that path, perhaps you never truly grow because your instincts cover up the problems.”
Can talent become a limitation?
“When you’re more consistent, methodical, analytical and repeatable, you help the team grow and you improve your own rhythm as a driver. Last year Charles Leclerc was covering the car’s weaknesses, and at times there was a significant gap compared to Lewis Hamilton. This year the car inspires more confidence, but Charles still wants to push beyond the limit. We saw it on Saturday: he wanted pole position and arrived at a corner carrying nine kilometres per hour more than he should have.”
Where do these mistakes come from?
“These small mistakes are the result of a lack of serenity and balance. I’ve always believed Charles Leclerc possesses immense talent, but he struggles when he has to build something together with the car. Very often his talent hides the car’s limitations instead of helping it evolve. On the other side, you have Lewis Hamilton, who may be slightly slower over a single lap with an identical car, but who is now making the difference through his method of working. And that is something Charles may be starting to feel.”
How much of a psychological challenge is this for Leclerc?
“For Charles, this is probably the happiest period of his career emotionally. He renewed his contract with Ferrari, the team that made him famous and established him as a top driver. He got married, and in his personal life he has found balance. He has everything most people dream of: fame, the woman he loves, Ferrari, and a comfortable life. The real challenge now is putting his mind back on the technical issues and competing against a seven-time world champion who knows how to influence a team and make it his own. Charles needs to fight with the same weapons. He probably needs to lower his head and work hard to move back ahead, because otherwise the team naturally starts moving in a direction that leaves him in the background.”
How is Fred Vasseur managing the situation?
“Vasseur is happy because he has a competitive Hamilton again. At the same time, he sees a Charles Leclerc who is pushing too hard and making too many mistakes, sometimes even simple ones, because he is distracted by too many thoughts. But Vasseur is extremely good at managing people, especially Charles, whom he knows inside out. I believe he will find a way to bring him back to his usual level.”
So no hierarchy yet?
“Every team principal dreams of having two drivers fighting for the championship. Then, at the end of the season, you decide how to play your cards and manage the balance.”
Should Toto Wolff let Antonelli and Russell race freely?
“Yesterday gave us a clear answer. The moment they were allowed to fight, Lewis Hamilton suddenly re-entered the battle for victory. Toto Wolff himself said: ‘We let them race, but we put the victory at risk and lost it.’ We’re only seven races into the season, but every point could prove decisive if the championship remains this close.”
Is it too early for team orders?
“It’s difficult for a team principal to start issuing orders after only seven races. Especially when one driver is George Russell, with eight years of experience and a clear belief that this is his moment, while on the other side you have Kimi Antonelli, in only his second season, performing brilliantly. It’s not an easy situation. Right now, I think Kimi is the one who has found the strongest rhythm. Yesterday he showed that when he wanted to catch Russell and overtake him, he did exactly that. He erased a seven-second gap and passed him. Kimi is very comfortable with this car, and that will make Toto Wolff’s decisions extremely difficult.”
Who has more to lose, Antonelli or Russell?
“In reality, both of them do. If we look back only one year, Oscar Piastri had the opportunity to become world champion and now finds himself chasing again. When an opportunity presents itself, you must seize it. You cannot worry about your teammate or even your team principal, because it might be the only chance you ever get to win a world championship.”
Could the Barcelona retirement affect Antonelli?
“One of Kimi’s greatest strengths is his ability to reset. Whether he makes a mistake himself or suffers a technical failure like yesterday, he resets mentally, returns to the track and starts again without carrying any baggage. Besides, he was still the clear championship leader. The car wasn’t perfect yesterday, but he was ahead of Russell, his direct rival inside the team.”
But now Hamilton is in the picture as well.
“Now the situation becomes broader because Lewis Hamilton is second in the championship and will become a genuine rival. Then there are the others, and perhaps Charles Leclerc will join the fight as well. The battle will become very interesting. In the end, details will decide everything. Those details include producing the perfect qualifying lap and starting from the first or second row, because that is where victories are born. If you make a mistake and start from the third or fourth row, you are already on the back foot. Qualifying will be crucial from now on.”
Have Ferrari and Mercedes already become a separate group?
“No. I think performance levels can still change from race to race and circuit to circuit. Some tracks suit one team better than another. What surprises me is McLaren. It’s difficult to understand how they lost the advantage they had last year, especially in tyre management. Everyone knew that their race pace came from exceptional tyre usage. This year, with the new regulations and a new car, they seem to have lost that edge. But McLaren is probably working hard to return to the front.”
And Max Verstappen?
“Max has a very nervous car, that’s clear. Beyond the FIA telling him he has the best engine and the anger that caused inside Red Bull, the car remains difficult to drive. However, the experience of the engineers around him and their ability to solve problems means he must remain part of the championship picture. Ferrari and Mercedes are currently setting the benchmark in terms of car management and setup philosophy. The question is how long they can stay at the top.”
Who has impressed you positively?
“Arvid Lindblad is doing an outstanding job because he is genuinely quick, just like Gabriel Bortoleto. Bortoleto has faded slightly after scoring points in the opening race, but Audi has also struggled to rediscover the competitiveness it showed in Bahrain. Even so, he continues to show flashes of real potential. Isack Hadjar is also doing very well because he remains close to Max Verstappen in qualifying. He may still lack race experience, but that will come.”
And who has disappointed?
“The driver who is clearly below last year’s level and hasn’t produced any real standout moments is Oscar Piastri. Perhaps Lando Norris as well. He seems a little satisfied after winning the world championship last season. He is the champion, but he doesn’t appear to have the hunger of someone determined to defend the crown. Piastri, meanwhile, looks trapped in a search for performance that he simply cannot find.”
Is Aston Martin the great puzzle of this new era?
“I think Aston Martin made management choices that affected Adrian Newey’s serenity and planning. When Adrian took technical control, he also became a minority shareholder. That changed the internal balance. Then he became team principal during a very delicate phase of the project. Arriving at testing five days late suggests Adrian gave himself all the time he wanted to explore aerodynamic ideas and validate the car, but it didn’t pay off.”
Did Newey need someone to limit him?
“Adrian has always worked with strong personalities around him: Christian Horner at Red Bull, Ron Dennis at McLaren, Patrick Head at Williams. People who told him: ‘That’s enough. Stop working, stop testing. The car has to be built because it must race by this date.’ They knew how to keep him under control. Without someone managing him in that way, he gives himself all the time he wants, but eventually reality catches up.”
Does genius need boundaries?
“Exactly. He took on too many responsibilities and that distracted him from the areas where his focus was most needed.”
And what about Honda?
“Honda followed Adrian’s direction, but they also made the same mistake once again: tearing everything down and then trying to rebuild something similar shortly afterwards. It’s already the third time they’ve done it. The engineers who moved with Christian Horner to Red Bull Powertrains, the engine project that later became Ford-backed, were largely the people from Honda. Now Honda has brought in new personnel, perhaps less experienced in Formula 1, and they have encountered more difficulties. Japanese engine manufacturers often have very particular management structures.”
Could the championship still be decided off the track?
“Some corrections were necessary because the regulations were probably designed with too much optimism. But when you see a qualifying session as competitive as Barcelona, with four drivers separated by only a few thousandths on such a technical circuit, and when drivers are fighting through pure driving rather than discussions about clipping and energy management, it shows that only a few adjustments were needed. Of course, everything can still be improved.”
Are the planned 2027-2028 changes the right direction?
“They have certainly found a direction. The power units will evolve toward a more balanced formula, with a stronger internal combustion component. That should create a more balanced engine package overall. Having said that, I was impressed by the ability of all the teams to have their cars ready for the start of this season.”
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