Lewis Hamilton has taken his first taste of the Ferrari SF-26, the new Formula 1 car built for the 2026 regulations, during unofficial testing in Barcelona, and his verdict was clear. The seven-time world champion immediately felt that the new generation of cars is more enjoyable to drive compared to the ground-effect machines from the era that has just come to an end.
Lewis Hamilton is coming off a difficult 2025 season with Ferrari, contested entirely under the ground-effect regulations. However, his initial impressions behind the wheel of the Ferrari SF-26 tell a very different story. The new generation of cars, shaped by a deep overhaul of both the chassis and the power unit, appears to have given Hamilton more direct feedback and a driving experience that feels more natural and instinctive.
At the end of the five days of private testing held in Barcelona from January 26 to 30, Hamilton explained what impressed him most about Ferrari’s new challenger. “In terms of understanding the car and the balance, we have much less aerodynamic downforce compared to previous years,” he said while speaking to Formula 1’s official channels.
Hamilton’s first impressions of the Ferrari SF-26
“This generation of cars is actually more fun to drive. It’s oversteery, nervous, it slides, but it’s also easier to control. I would definitely say it’s more enjoyable,” Hamilton added.
Lap times from the Catalan test were not officially released, but Hamilton was credited with the fastest reference time of the week, a 1:16.348 that quickly drew attention to the work carried out at Maranello over the winter.
This positive assessment carries even greater weight when viewed against the backdrop of the previous season. The 2025 campaign marked Lewis Hamilton’s first, and disappointing, chapter with Ferrari, ending without a genuine fight for an eighth world title and with persistent struggles to find consistency in the ground-effect cars.
The 2026 regulations represent a clear break from that recent past. Reduced aerodynamic load, a greater emphasis on energy management, and a different dynamic behaviour appear, at least in the early stages, to align far more closely with the preferences of the British driver.
Hamilton’s next on-track commitment will be in Bahrain, which will host the two official pre-season test sessions scheduled for February 11–13 and February 18–20. Before that, however, a packed agenda awaits him. “It’s going to be a pretty intense period,” Hamilton explained. “We have a lot of promotional days next week. The team will analyse everything that happened in Barcelona, collecting both my notes and Charles’ to reorganise the work ahead of Bahrain.”
“There will be long filming days, morning training sessions and meetings with the engineers. Then it’s the simulator, physical preparation and off we go to the tests.” The countdown to the new season has already begun. The 2026 Formula 1 World Championship will start on March 8 with the Australian Grand Prix, and for the first time after months of difficulty, Lewis Hamilton appears to be looking at the new era of Formula 1 with renewed enthusiasm.
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