Ferrari has finally clinched its first victory of the 2026 season with Lewis Hamilton, leaving paddock insiders to wonder: where exactly does the Italian team’s newfound strength come from? Former Ferrari engineer Luigi Mazzola explains that it is a complex mix of ingredients, with several crucial factors aligning at the perfect time.
The Maranello squad secured its maiden triumph of the year with Hamilton at the wheel, but this performance was built on foundations laid long before the Spanish Grand Prix. Renowned engineer Luigi Mazzola and veteran journalist Umberto Zapelloni shared their insights into the Scuderia’s technical and emotional breakthrough.
The Prancing Horse is currently savoring its first triumph of the year, courtesy of the seven-time world champion who guided the SF-26 through a masterfully managed race, coping perfectly with soaring track temperatures and demanding tire degradation. Following this victory, Hamilton has closed the gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli to just 41 points. On the other side of the garage, a painful technical retirement has left Charles Leclerc in a difficult position, especially following his qualifying mistake on Saturday. Nevertheless, the technical data looks highly promising: the package of upgrades introduced by the team delivered a gain of roughly three-tenths of a second, revealing a car that is becoming increasingly exceptional in both its aerodynamics and chassis balance. Furthermore, Ferrari is now awaiting the final ruling from the ADUO to potentially introduce its first engine updates as early as the upcoming race in Austria.
Mazzola: “Expect something that will keep us thoroughly entertained in the next GPs”
“I think there are several factors behind why Hamilton is right up there. First of all, it’s his feeling with the car; he is genuinely having fun, and when he starts enjoying himself, he delivers his absolute best. Being a seven-time world champion, his best still has a massive amount to say. The same goes for his rivalry with Leclerc; seeing himself a bit ahead of Charles gives him an extra layer of reassurance. On top of that, the team is completely with him, as we’ve clearly seen—they follow his lead. So, it is a whole mix of ingredients. Combined with Ferrari’s highly effective development program, he has shown exactly what he is capable of. Therefore, we should expect something that will keep us thoroughly entertained in the next few Grands Prix,” engineer Luigi Mazzola stated during his appearance on Race Anatomy.
In 2025, alongside navigating a fundamentally flawed car project, the Briton found himself forced to wrestle with the final generation of ground-effect cars, machines with which he never truly found a proper rhythm. Throughout last year, the British driver consistently repeated that he wanted to implement deep structural changes within the team, and he ultimately made them happen.
“I think Hamilton truly found himself again once the ground-effect cars—which he never fully digested—were finally retired. We have seen a completely different Hamilton right from the opening rounds of this season, with a car that has grown consistently and with him contributing massively. There is a lot of his input in the development of this Ferrari. But above all, he has rediscovered the pure joy of driving, whereas last year he had even made statements suggesting he wanted to retire,” Zapelloni added.
The perfect alignment of Lewis Hamilton’s renewed motivation, a highly responsive Ferrari design team, and a technical regulations shift away from ground-effect aerodynamics has collectively transformed the Scuderia into a potent force capable of changing the entire narrative of the 2026 world championship.
Leave a Reply