Lewis Hamilton’s second Ferrari season has produced a dramatic improvement in both results and his comparison with Charles Leclerc, adding fresh relevance to an observation made by former Mercedes engineer Philipp Brandle before the seven-time world champion even arrived at Maranello.
With 191 points and 10 races still remaining in 2026, Hamilton has already surpassed the 156 points he collected across his entire first Ferrari campaign. More significantly, he has returned to winning ways and recorded five podium finishes after going through 2025 without a single top-three result.
Ferrari’s progress with the SF-26 has clearly contributed to that turnaround, but the change cannot be explained solely by a stronger car. Hamilton’s performance relative to Leclerc has also shifted substantially, suggesting the British driver himself has taken an important step forward.
Lewis Hamilton’s 2026 Ferrari numbers show a major turnaround
One of the clearest differences can be found in qualifying. Across the two qualifying formats in 2026, Hamilton has finished ahead of Charles Leclerc on 10 occasions. He managed that only seven times during the whole of 2025.
The race comparison is equally striking. Hamilton was beaten 18-3 by his teammate in their 2025 race head-to-head, whereas the Ferrari pair are level across the 10 Grands Prix this season in which both have reached the chequered flag. The changing internal battle can also be tracked through the Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton season comparison.
There are several possible factors behind that improvement. One widely discussed explanation is that Hamilton’s driving style is more compatible with Formula 1’s new generation of machinery than with the ground-effect cars used through the previous regulatory cycle.
Hamilton himself has placed less emphasis on that theory and more on the influence he has been able to exert within Ferrari. Unlike during the build-up to his debut season in red, he has been involved in the development of the team’s car.
There have also been changes around him on the engineering side. Carlo Santi has replaced Riccardo Adami, while Cedric Grosjean has joined Ferrari from McLaren. Those changes appear to have contributed positively as Hamilton has become increasingly established within the Maranello structure.
Former Mercedes engineer linked Lewis Hamilton’s best form to winning opportunities
Another explanation concerns motivation and what happens when Hamilton believes a major result is genuinely available. Former Mercedes engineer Philipp Brandle addressed precisely that subject in the summer of 2024, before Hamilton’s move to Ferrari.
Brandle argued that one of Hamilton’s distinguishing characteristics could work both positively and negatively. In his assessment, whenever the Briton sensed even a small opportunity to achieve something significant, he could perform at what Brandle described as 200 per cent.
Conversely, the former Mercedes engineer believed Hamilton could drop slightly below his usual level when he felt the car was not performing properly and that victory was beyond reach. Brandle nevertheless emphasised that when Hamilton saw even the smallest opening, his performance remained as strong as that of anybody else.
Hamilton rejected that interpretation at the time. He maintained that he always gave 100 per cent regardless of the competitiveness of his machinery.
Ferrari’s stronger SF-26 has put Hamilton back in the fight
The contrast between Hamilton’s two Ferrari seasons nevertheless gives the earlier discussion additional context. In 2025, the Scuderia had the fourth-fastest car on the grid. Even Leclerc managed only seven podium finishes and never came particularly close to victory.
The competitive picture has changed in 2026. Although Ferrari have remained outsiders in the championship contest, the Italian team have spent much of the campaign as Mercedes’ nearest challenger and have regularly been capable of fighting for victories. The broader performance gap between Maranello and its main opposition can be explored through Ferrari’s comparison with its Formula 1 rivals.
Hamilton has consequently found himself competing for meaningful results far more frequently. That has coincided with a race victory, five podiums and a much closer fight with Leclerc.
None of that means Hamilton’s commitment during 2025 should be questioned. The seven-time world champion arrived at Ferrari with one overriding competitive ambition: to pursue the record-breaking eighth Drivers’ Championship that has eluded him.
The more interesting question is whether sensing an opportunity to compete at the very front can bring an additional level of focus and performance from a driver whose career has largely been defined by championship battles.
Hamilton’s Mercedes and McLaren seasons offer an interesting comparison
The pattern considered by Brandle was not limited to Hamilton’s time at Ferrari. During Formula 1’s ground-effect era, the Briton finished ahead of his Mercedes teammate in the championship only once, with that season coinciding with the team’s improvement in 2023. When Mercedes struggled more significantly in 2022 and again in 2024, Hamilton’s form also declined.
Examples can be found further back in his career with McLaren. Hamilton performed at a particularly high level in 2010, when he remained in championship contention until the final race. He was also highly competitive in 2012, when McLaren arguably possessed the strongest car.
The intervening 2011 campaign produced a different outcome. Sebastian Vettel dominated the season, while Jenson Button finished ahead of Hamilton.
Those historical comparisons do not establish that Hamilton’s effort changes according to the machinery underneath him, particularly given his own rejection of that interpretation. They do, however, provide context for Brandle’s view that the British driver is particularly formidable when he recognises an opportunity to win.
What Hamilton’s resurgence could mean for Ferrari in 2027
Hamilton’s current season matters beyond the immediate results. Ferrari have continued working on the SF-26, with the team believing that development of the 2026 car can also benefit its 2027 project.
For Hamilton, the objective remains the same one that accompanied his move to Maranello: competing for another world championship. His 2026 improvement has already demonstrated what can happen when Ferrari provides him with machinery capable of entering the fight for victories more regularly.
If the Scuderia can take the next step and produce a genuine championship-contending car in 2027, the suggestion is that the higher stakes could bring even more from Hamilton. His own position remains clear, however: rather than accepting that his effort depends on the competitiveness of the car, the seven-time champion has always maintained that he gives everything regardless of the circumstances.
Leave a Reply