Well-known mental coach Riccardo Ceccarelli has provided an in-depth analysis of the Scuderia’s race in China, focusing in particular on the situation of Lewis Hamilton and his renewed form alongside teammate Charles Leclerc.
We discussed Lewis Hamilton, a driver who arrived in the 2026 season after a year marked by a deep crisis, yet now appears to have rediscovered his competitive edge after battling and even beating Charles Leclerc on track.
“From my experience, I would say that a driver who has won a lot and has reached an age that is no longer very young, if he finds himself driving an uncompetitive car in which he is relegated to a supporting role, as happened to Hamilton last year, it is normal for motivation and the desire to fight to decrease.”
So, Lewis was not “finished”?
“Motivation starts in the mind and should give you the stimulus to always perform at your maximum. But when you are no longer fighting for victory, as you have always been used to, that inner fire which allows you to express your full potential tends to fade, perhaps even unconsciously. However, the moment you give these drivers a competitive car again, the ambition to win is reignited and every trace of rust disappears. This could be the year of Hamilton’s resurgence, but it will depend not so much on him as on Ferrari. The more the car improves, the more motivation will grow, and consequently Lewis’s performance as well.”
Did you fear a collision when the two Ferrari drivers were battling each other?
“Absolutely yes, I feared it, and it may happen in the future, just as it did with the Mercedes drivers in Barcelona in 2016. It was not an isolated case, because it also happened at Red Bull between Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, and as has occurred many times between two roosters in the same henhouse. The Ferrari drivers behaved like professionals, and I believe we will see more battles. At that point, it will all come down to Fred Vasseur, who will try to… calm them down a bit, fully aware that both drivers will keep their foot on the throttle.”
As the SF-26 continues to evolve and close the gap to the front-runners, the psychological management of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will be just as critical as the aerodynamic upgrades. With both drivers hungry to prove they are the true number one in Maranello, Fred Vasseur faces the delicate task of channeling that intense motivation into championship points rather than carbon fiber debris.
The Chinese Grand Prix has set the stage for one of the most compelling intra-team dynamics in recent F1 history. Whether Ferrari can maintain this professional boundary as the stakes get higher remains the big question of the 2026 season. One thing is certain: the mental battle is just as fierce as the physical one on track.
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