Lewis Hamilton’s second season with Ferrari has started to change the tone around his late-career gamble, with Nico Rosberg now saying his old Mercedes rival looks joyful, adapted, and close to his older self.
Former Lewis Hamilton teammate and rival, Nico Rosberg, is happy to see him succeed again
Nico Rosberg knows better than almost anyone what it means to measure Lewis Hamilton at close range. Their Mercedes years, known as ‘Silver War’, were ruthless, tense, and, by the end, personally damaging. They had been friends as youngsters, then became teammates, then title rivals, and finally the central characters in one of Formula 1’s most intense modern feuds.
That is why Rosberg’s latest words carry more weight than a routine pundit’s compliment. Asked about Ferrari’s start to 2026, the 2016 world champion said the Scuderia had begun strongly and that the car looked good, even if it was still missing something to fight for victories. Then he turned to Hamilton, saying he was “happy” for him because he “finally seems to be back to his best” and is racing with joy again after a very difficult 2025 season. Rosberg also noted that adapting to Ferrari wasn’t easy, but that Hamilton now appears to have settled into his new environment.
That matters because Hamilton’s first year in red was rough. The move from Mercedes to Ferrari was one of the biggest transfers in F1 history, but the debut campaign was frustrating, as he struggled with one-lap pace and went without a Grand Prix podium for the first time in his career.
This year, however, the signs have been different. Hamilton’s first Ferrari podium arrived at the Chinese Grand Prix, where he finished third after a spirited battle with his teammate, Charles Leclerc.
Others agree, but Ralf Schumacher thinks it is time to retire
Rosberg is not alone in seeing a better Hamilton in 2026. Jenson Button, Hamilton’s former McLaren teammate, predicted that the new regulation could help the British driver rediscover his best form. Button said it had been hard to watch Hamilton struggle in 2025, but argued that the reset offered by the new ruleset would allow him to influence the car’s direction and fight closer to the front.
Still, not everyone sees this revival as proof that Hamilton should stay indefinitely. Ralf Schumacher has taken a much harder line, acknowledging that Hamilton is in a better position than last season, but predicting he will not be able to live with Leclerc over a full campaign. For the six-time Grand Prix winner, Ferrari should look to the next generation, with Oliver Bearman mentioned as a possible future option.
That view is blunt, but it reflects the uncomfortable debate around Hamilton’s Ferrari chapter. If he shines, the move becomes a late-career masterstroke. If he fades behind Leclerc, every difficult weekend will feed the retirement discussion again. At 41, Hamilton is not being judged only against the current grid. He is being judged against his own past, which is often the harshest comparison of all.
Canadian Grand Prix and Monaco Grand Prix, new tests of his level
The next races will sharpen the picture. The official 2026 calendar lists Canada as the next Grand Prix, from May 22 to 24, followed by Monaco from June 5 to 7. Both weekends are important for different reasons.
Canada has often suited Hamilton. The Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, a fan favorite thanks to its fast layout between walls, rewards confidence under braking, traction out of slow corners, and precision over the kerbs. It is also a track full of Hamilton history, as he won his first race there in 2007. If Ferrari gives him a balanced car there, it should be a place where he can show whether China was a spark or the beginning of something more stable.
Monaco is a different examination. It is not about race pace in the usual sense. It is about trust, timing, and absolute commitment in qualifying, where one lap can define the entire weekend. On a circuit that runs through Casino Square, luck might be involved, but as in any online casino game, you need to be intelligent and be at your best to win. In the streets of Monaco, that means precision, confidence, and being able to stay close to the walls without leaving the car in one of them.
Rosberg’s praise does not mean Hamilton is suddenly back in title-winning form. Ferrari still has to prove it can challenge Mercedes consistently, and Leclerc remains one of the fastest qualifiers on the grid. But the tone has changed. Hamilton no longer looks like a superstar trying to survive a difficult move. He looks like a driver who has found a way to enjoy the fight again.
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