Interviewed during pre-season testing in Bahrain, Lewis Hamilton expressed strong optimism about the new Ferrari SF-26, explaining how deeply connected he feels to the car that will accompany him throughout the entire Formula 1 season.
The second testing session in Bahrain has just begun, with every team already fully immersed in development work and data analysis. During the opening phase of the test, Lewis Hamilton made no secret of his confidence in the SF-26, a car that represents a fresh chapter in his career with Ferrari.
This time, his feeling is that the car is not something “inherited” from a previous technical direction, but rather a machine shaped in part by his own contribution during the development phase. That aspect makes the British driver significantly more confident, as he leaves behind a difficult and frustrating 2025 campaign.
Hamilton “connected” to the car and feeling in top shape
“I always try to start a season with confidence,” the British driver explained to the media, including Motorsport Week. “But of course, you face all kinds of different challenges along the way. I think this team has been through quite a lot. As for me, I’ve left the last few years behind. I really felt like I spent a lot of time rebuilding over the winter, refocusing, really getting my body and my mind into a much better place. Personally, I feel generally in the best shape I’ve been in for a long time.”
The main difference compared to last season lies in his bond with the car itself. Lewis Hamilton appreciates the novelty of the new regulations and the ongoing process of discovery that leads up to the Australian Grand Prix. Above all, however, he feels that the SF-26 is partly his own creation, closely aligned with his driving style and technical feedback.
“It’s an exciting time, especially with this new generation of cars. Because everything is completely new. We’re all trying to figure it out as we go along,” he continued. “Also, last year I was tied to a car that, ultimately, I had inherited. This one is a car whose development I’ve been able to contribute to, in the simulator over the last 8-10 months. And some of my DNA is inside it. So I’m definitely more connected to this one.” – the seven-time Formula 1 world champion concluded.
For Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton, that sense of technical and emotional alignment could prove decisive as the season unfolds. The early signs from Bahrain testing suggest that the foundations are solid, and for the seven-time world champion, the renewed connection with his machinery may be just as important as outright performance when the lights go out for the first race of the year.
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