Hamilton: “Santi is an ‘original gangster’”
Lewis Hamilton arrives in Monaco with renewed confidence after his second-place finish in Canada, a result that has given fresh momentum to his Ferrari campaign. The British driver believes the unique characteristics of the Monte Carlo circuit could suit the SF-26 much better than some of the tracks visited earlier this season. Just as he did ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton also revealed that he chose not to use the simulator in preparation for the weekend, preferring to rely on his experience and what he learns once the cars hit the track.
Among the factors he credits for his recent progress is the work being done with his race engineer, Carlo Santi. Hamilton spoke highly of the Italian engineer, highlighting the importance of their growing understanding as he continues to settle into life at Ferrari.
Ferrari’s low-speed strengths and the Mercedes threat
The Monaco Grand Prix naturally raises expectations for Ferrari, as the circuit’s layout places less emphasis on engine power and far greater importance on traction, mechanical grip and low-speed performance. These are all areas where the SF-26 has shown encouraging signs throughout the season, giving Hamilton reason to believe Ferrari can be more competitive this weekend.
“I would say this track is probably better for us than some of the others we’ve visited recently because our car performs well at low speed,” Lewis Hamilton explained. “For that reason, I think we’ll be competitive. We especially need to pay attention to Mercedes’ latest upgrade package because in Miami they looked extremely fast in the low-speed sections.”
While many rivals have pointed to Ferrari as the favourite in Monaco, Hamilton remains cautious. The seven-time World Champion believes Mercedes still deserves plenty of respect, particularly after its dominant start to the season and the impressive pace shown by its latest developments.
Progress behind the scenes at Ferrari
Hamilton also reflected on the adaptation process he has experienced since joining Ferrari. He stressed that much of the work required to integrate into a new team takes place away from the cameras and often goes unnoticed by fans and observers.
“Sometimes people don’t realise the enormous amount of work that happens behind the scenes and what a driver has to do when joining a new project,” Lewis Hamilton said. “I arrived at a team that has everything needed to be successful. It was simply a matter of putting the pieces of the puzzle in the right places.”
The British driver explained that working closely with Team Principal Frederic Vasseur and Ferrari’s engineering staff has been crucial in helping him feel increasingly comfortable within the team. According to Hamilton, the results of that work are finally becoming visible both in terms of performance and in the overall direction of the project.
“Working with Fred Vasseur and the engineers has been incredibly helpful. I’m finally starting to see the first results of this process, and it’s fantastic to feel like an active part of moving things in the right direction,” he said. Hamilton also pointed to several changes Ferrari has implemented following feedback provided last season, including modifications to the suspension package that have helped make the car more suited to his driving style.
A strong connection with Carlo Santi
An important part of Hamilton’s adaptation has been building a strong working relationship with Carlo Santi. After the communication difficulties that occasionally emerged during the 2025 season, the partnership between the British driver and the Italian engineer appears to be flourishing.
Hamilton even compared Santi to one of the most influential figures from his years at Mercedes, long-time race engineer Peter Bonnington. “I feel Carlo is very similar to Bono. For me, he’s a bit of an OG — an Original Gangster. He’s one of those old-school veterans who has seen everything, has enormous experience and always remains incredibly calm.”
The Ferrari driver explained that this experience is invaluable when trying to transform a driver’s sensations into meaningful technical improvements. “Building perfect chemistry takes time. When you give feedback and try to describe what the car is doing on corner entry or exit, the understanding isn’t always immediate from a technical or mathematical perspective. Having someone on the pit wall who is so calm, prepared and experienced is a fundamental factor in helping us move the car in the right direction.”
Preparing for Monaco without the simulator
One topic that continues to generate discussion is the Briton’s approach to simulator work. While Charles Leclerc strongly defended the value of Ferrari’s simulator sessions during Thursday’s media activities, Hamilton admitted that he arrived in Monaco without spending any time in the virtual environment.
Instead, the seven-time World Champion has once again chosen to trust his instincts and gather information directly on track. It is the same strategy he adopted ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, where he went on to secure his strongest race result of the season.
When asked what he expected from the Monaco circuit and how the SF-26 might behave around the Principality’s famous corners, Lewis Hamilton responded with complete honesty: “I have no idea. I haven’t been on the simulator, so I don’t know yet what it will be like to drive here.”
Even so, he understands the technical challenge that awaits the drivers this weekend. “One thing I’m sure about is that this will be the circuit with the lowest aerodynamic load level we’ll face all season. It will be an exercise in pure adaptation, and we’ll need to be good at finding the limit from the very first sessions.”
For Hamilton, Monaco represents both an opportunity and an unknown. Ferrari appears better suited to the demands of the circuit than it was to recent power-sensitive venues, but success will still depend on how quickly the team can find the ideal setup and how effectively the drivers adapt to one of the most demanding tracks in Formula 1.
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