Lewis Hamilton is entering the 2026 Formula 1 season with renewed belief in Ferrari and the potential of the new SF-26. After a campaign that fell well below expectations, the seven-time world champion appears revitalised, convinced that this could finally be the year the Scuderia returns to the very top.
Pre-season testing in Bahrain delivered encouraging signs, with the SF-26 showing competitive pace and solid reliability. For the first time in a while, Ferrari seem to have the tools required to challenge the front-runners consistently. The winter break has brought reflection and renewed determination, and Lewis Hamilton looks ready to ignite the dreams of the Tifosi once again.
“This is the year of the Fire Horse according to the Chinese calendar: freedom, the desire to clear the mind from pressure and to put fundamental values back at the centre,” Lewis Hamilton explained in an interview with Corriere della Sera, outlining his mindset heading into 2026.
The Stevenage-born driver, who toward the end of last season appeared stuck in a frustrating downward spiral, now seems to have rediscovered hope, calmness and, above all, his trademark smile.
“You have to rediscover the joy. When we unveiled the new car, I felt happy like a child,” said the number 44, now in his second year at Maranello. The mission is clear: leave the ghosts of the past behind. “My goal last year was to win the World Championship with Ferrari, and I didn’t manage to do it. That doesn’t mean I can’t achieve it. You have to ask yourself uncomfortable questions and understand how to find the answers.”
Fans must believe in Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton also underlined the powerful connection between Ferrari and its supporters. “The empathy of the fans is incredible, both on good days and on difficult ones,” he continued. “We can’t promise anything, but you only need to walk around here in Maranello to see the enormous effort every single person is putting in. The Year of the Horse offers the opportunity for a rebirth and, from a technical point of view, in Formula 1 everyone starts from zero. There is nothing more exciting than that — it’s beautiful.”
With a fresh regulatory cycle and a new sense of belief inside the team, Ferrari’s hopes of a true resurgence now rest firmly on the shoulders of the SF-26 — and on Lewis Hamilton’s determination to turn the “Year of the Fire Horse” into a championship-winning reality.
With just a few days until the Australian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton’s “Fire Horse” philosophy shows that elite performance is as much about mental clarity as it is about aerodynamic efficiency. By stripping away the pressure of past failures and focusing on the “beautiful” opportunity of a total regulatory reset, the Briton and Ferrari have positioned themselves as the ultimate wildcards of the new era. If the SF-26 can translate the team’s immense winter efforts into consistent race pace in Melbourne, the joy Hamilton felt at the car’s launch may soon turn into the triumphant celebration the Tifosi have been waiting nearly two decades to witness.
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