The 2026 Formula 1 season is now just around the corner, including for a team like Ferrari, which has set itself the clear objective of bouncing back after a disappointing 2025. It was a season to forget not only for the Scuderia as a whole, but also for Lewis Hamilton, whose first year in Maranello failed to deliver the results many had expected.
Having joined Ferrari last season, the British driver was never able to secure a pole position, a podium finish, or a race victory throughout the year. Such a run without standout results had never happened before in his career, nor had any Ferrari driver in the team’s history endured so many consecutive Grands Prix without reaching at least the podium.
The crisis of Sir Lewis
The struggles of the seven-time world champion have inevitably raised doubts about whether fans will once again witness a successful Lewis Hamilton in red. Questions continue to grow as Ferrari prepares for a new technical era, with uncertainty surrounding how the team and driver will adapt after such a difficult campaign.
Ross Brawn’s support
Ferrari’s history, however, is also defined by periods of extraordinary success, particularly in the early 2000s, when Ross Brawn held the role of Technical Director at the Scuderia. The British engineer later crossed paths with Lewis Hamilton during his final year as Mercedes’ Head of Motorsport Management in 2013, building a relationship that continues to this day.
Despite Lewis Hamilton’s current lack of results, Ross Brawn has publicly voiced his support for the 41-year-old driver, even as doubts persist about the chances of a true return to winning form. According to Brawn, Ferrari will need to make certain adjustments if it wants to unlock the best version of Lewis Hamilton.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Ross Brawn offered clear advice to the Maranello team: “I think we would all like to see him succeed,” he said. “I have a soft spot for Ferrari. I spent 10 years there and I know how tough it is, but there is always a fine line between a team that really gels and one that doesn’t quite come together, and last year it didn’t quite happen like that.
“If he gets encouragement, if he seizes an opportunity, I think we will see a vintage Lewis. So I hope it happens!”
As Maranello pivots toward the 2026 technical revolution, the relationship between the driver and the engineering team will be under the microscope. Ross Brawn’s insights suggest that Lewis Hamilton’s struggle isn’t necessarily a loss of raw speed, but rather a lack of the “fine-tuning” required to make a driver of his caliber feel at one with the machinery. If Ferrari can bridge that gap and provide the competitive edge Lewis Hamilton craves, the 2026 season could provide the ultimate redemption story in Formula 1 history. For the Tifosi, the hope is that Brawn’s “vintage” prediction comes true the moment the lights go out in Melbourne.
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