Hamilton, the rapport with Santi and the rebirth: “Now I have the right team around me”
It is no coincidence that Lewis Hamilton’s breakthrough with Ferrari has forcefully emerged after the British driver confirmed he successfully implemented the changes he had been loudly demanding from the Maranello squad throughout 2025. From the surprising chemistry built with his new race engineer Carlo Santi to his ability to push the team to excel in innovation to challenge Mercedes, the seven-time world champion explained how he has literally taken charge at Scuderia Ferrari, triggering a rebirth that has culminated so far in a triumphant Sunday at the Circuit de Catalunya.
The challenge of age and innovation at Ferrari: “I am racing against 19-year-olds, but I feel great”
“I feel great physically. You know, I am racing against 19-year-olds who are doing extraordinary things, but I feel great,” Hamilton commented, with a clear nod toward Kimi Antonelli. “It is still very early in the season. The guys in Maranello have really listened and worked incredibly hard to add performance and bring innovation.”
The success in Barcelona arrived during a weekend that saw the debut of Ferrari’s second major upgrade package. According to Hamilton, this massive developmental effort matches exactly what he had requested from management. “This year is all about innovation. We introduced that solution on the rear exhaust, then the rear wing, the ‘Macarena’. This is exactly what I was asking for last year: I was saying that this team needs to be a leader in this field, and they have proven they can be and will be. We still have a lot of work ahead of us. This doesn’t mean at all that it will always happen, let’s be clear. We have a very steep mountain to climb ahead of us to try to do what Mercedes has done so far all year.”
The battle against negativity and the mental reset after past hardships
When asked about the heavy criticisms faced during 2025 and the mental strength required to avoid being overwhelmed by self-doubt, the British driver responded with immense honesty, revealing how he overcame his darkest professional moments.
“Well, I’m only human. There are moments when I see certain things and, for sure, there have been times when I allowed all of this to affect me and penetrate deep down. But then I went through a phase where I literally disconnected from that ‘Matrix’. I spent a lot of time with family and friends, real people who know me, who have never doubted me, and who have stayed close to me my entire life,” Lewis Hamilton revealed.
Even in his initial statements at the start of the year, the seven-time world champion explained that he had laid the groundwork for this new campaign by committing to an intense winter training program. “Since Christmas Day, I have been on a mission. The training I did was the hardest I have ever experienced in my life, also because at the start of last year, I injured myself right here in Barcelona and carried that problem with me for months. The one thing I know is that you must never question yourself, you must never doubt yourself. You have to keep believing in yourself deep down, and that is what I managed to reinstill in my mindset. I rebuilt my mind to bring myself right back to where I was before.”
The team’s trust and the benefits of the secured changes
Hamilton went on to dismiss the narrative that he needed to “remind” the Scuderia of his value through this victory, praising instead the unconditional support he has continuously received from the crew in red.
“I don’t really feel like I had to remind the team of anything. They have been so kind to me. When you return to the garage after a difficult race, they simply tell you: ‘Don’t worry, it will go better next time.’ They have been incredibly supportive throughout this whole journey. But it is clear that results like this change everything and, if there ever was a lack of confidence, they completely restore it.”
The seven-time world champion believes he has finally put all the necessary pieces into place, which is why the results are now arriving on track. “I hope this was a convincing race, but I think it has been brewing for a few Grands Prix now. The modifications I asked for and pushed for during the whole of last year have been made, and now I have the right team around me, I have the right car underneath me, and I can finally start doing what I do best.”
The instant chemistry with Carlo Santi
Joining Lewis Hamilton on the Barcelona podium was Carlo Santi, his race engineer whom the Ferrari driver has fondly dubbed the Italian Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington. Following the professional difficulties experienced in 2025 during his time working alongside Riccardo Adami, the Briton has found the ideal figure for this highly sensitive role.
“It was fantastic to have him up there on the podium with me. He stepped up this year, diving into this adventure together with me. We didn’t know each other, we had never spoken before, and I knew nothing about him. We met and I think we hit it off immediately. It’s fantastic to manage to create a connection with a different engineer compared to the one I had for so long.”
The partnership with Santi is functioning perfectly despite the two individuals being polar opposites in terms of personality. According to the Briton, this evolving relationship is bringing massive benefits to both sides of the garage.
“It was magnificent to share the podium experience with him, also because he is a really very, very quiet guy. You can tell he struggles to express his emotions, he just smiles, while I was wrapping him in these big hugs, pulling him close and saying thank you. I like to think that this achievement has reignited in him the love for the role of engineer, exactly as it did for me in the role of driver.”
The dream of an eighth world title and the road ahead
Finally, commenting on the words of Toto Wolff, who admitted to being frightened by his long-term championship hunger, Lewis Hamilton chose to downplay the title hype, preferring instead to focus entirely on immediate operational duties.
“Honestly, with how the year started, I haven’t thought about an eighth title. Naturally, the goal we worked for was to manage to win, but I have always been aware of the fact that it takes time. Mercedes came out of the blocks with an astonishing car and exceptional pace, and both of their drivers are doing a superb job.”
In the direct performance comparison against the Mercedes W17, the primary focus remains the straight-line speed deficit currently holding back the SF-26. “We know we have this power deficit at the engine level: there will be tracks with very long straights where this will make things even more difficult for us. At the core, however, we have an excellent car, and if we keep adding performance and covering corners faster, perhaps we can reduce this disadvantage until we have closed the power gap. At the moment, it is really difficult to think long-term; I think it is right to take it one race at a time.”
What remains certain is that Hamilton will continue to stimulate Ferrari to improve in his new role as the team’s absolute leader. “Next week I will be at the factory: we will do a complete debrief, we will speak with the aerodynamicists to analyze all the updates that are in the pipeline, when they will arrive and what effect they will have, ready to correct the course in whatever direction I feel the car needs to go. We will keep pushing and enjoying it: we have to have fun with all of this too.”
In summary, Lewis Hamilton’s resurgent victory in Spain marks a defining milestone in his journey with Scuderia Ferrari, vindicating the technical and operational adjustments he championed. Backed by a seamless engineering partnership with Carlo Santi and a string of successful aero updates, the seven-time champion has re-established himself as a formidable force, setting the stage for an intense development war against Mercedes as the 2026 season progresses.
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