Lewis Hamilton now holds the record for the most races without securing a podium finish for Ferrari, with the Mexican Grand Prix marking his 20th start for the team. Despite this statistic, Hamilton also holds the record for the most points scored in F1 history without a single podium, though he still has the opportunity to change that narrative in the coming races. Analysts and insiders have suggested that part of Hamilton’s challenging start with Ferrari can be attributed to the team not fully embracing his technical feedback, which has contributed to his mixed performance.
David Croft recently highlighted that Hamilton appears to feel Ferrari have not been fully attentive to his recommendations. Croft speculated that this dynamic could lead to growing tension between the driver and the team as they approach the 2026 season. During the summer, Hamilton reportedly submitted detailed feedback documents to Ferrari, outlining a range of changes he believed the team should implement both on and off the track.
Ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix, in an interview with Band, journalist Mariana Becker raised the point that Hamilton seemed to feel the team wasn’t listening to him. In response, Hamilton explained that he had approached Ferrari with respect for their long-standing processes while carefully analyzing their strengths and weaknesses. He emphasized that the team had not won a championship since 2008, which made understanding and addressing these weaknesses a priority. Hamilton also indicated that he is steadily building a strong rapport with Ferrari and expressed confidence that his input is increasingly being incorporated into the team’s strategies and technical decisions.
Hamilton noted that he expected to see the results of this collaboration reflected in the development of next year’s car, which will be the first vehicle he has actively contributed to. He acknowledged that progress takes time but remained positive about the direction the team is heading. He explained that upon joining Ferrari, his aim was to observe carefully and identify areas for improvement Lewis while respecting the team’s established methods. Hamilton expressed optimism that the influence of his suggestions would become more visible in the near future and emphasized that trust and communication have been improving, particularly since the summer break.
The Briton also addressed the language barrier that exists within Ferrari. Prior to the start of the season, he had been learning Italian, but the demands of a 24-race calendar made it difficult to maintain consistent practice. Despite this challenge, Lewis Hamilton noted that the team remains united in their shared goal of winning. He has worked to keep morale high during a demanding season, ensuring that engineers remain motivated and engaged. Over time, he has observed that the team is granting him greater influence as his feedback is increasingly validated by performance data and numbers.
He highlighted the need to find common ground, given that English is not the first language for most of the team and he does not yet speak fluent Italian. Hamilton emphasized that everyone shares the same objective of winning, and that maintaining motivation during difficult weekends has been a key part of his approach. He pointed out that many of the changes he has suggested this year, which were not previously implemented, are now being adopted, demonstrating that the team is listening and gradually incorporating his input. He clarified that such adjustments do not happen instantly, as engineers rely on measurable proof before committing to changes. By providing results and data, Hamilton has been able to persuade the team to implement modifications, which, once effective, reinforce the value of his guidance and strengthen collaboration between driver and engineers.
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