Giancarlo Fisichella believes Ferrari should resist making Lewis Hamilton its undisputed number-one driver, despite the seven-time world champion’s Barcelona victory and encouraging results during the 2026 Formula 1 season. The former Ferrari driver argued that Charles Leclerc must continue receiving an equal opportunity while the competitive balance between the two team-mates remains open.
Speaking on Formula 1’s official Beyond the Grid podcast, Fisichella also praised the progress made with the SF-26 and defended Ferrari’s decision to recruit Hamilton. His assessment adds another perspective to the developing Ferrari team-orders debate, while his comments about Andrea Kimi Antonelli introduced a much longer-term possibility for the Maranello team.
Why Giancarlo Fisichella opposes early number-one status for Lewis Hamilton
Fisichella disagreed with suggestions that Ferrari should already begin favouring Hamilton over Leclerc. In his view, the Scuderia is attempting to produce a competitive car that gives both drivers the opportunity to challenge at the front rather than designing its approach around only one side of the garage.
The Italian pointed to the Barcelona weekend as an example of why he considers an established hierarchy premature. Hamilton converted Ferrari’s potential into victory, but Leclerc’s qualifying accident significantly affected the Monegasque driver’s prospects before the race had begun. Fisichella suggested that without that incident, Leclerc would probably have had a similar opportunity to compete for the win.
His position was therefore not intended to diminish Hamilton’s achievement. Instead, it reflected his belief that one result should not be used in isolation to determine Ferrari’s internal order, particularly when circumstances prevented the two drivers from approaching the race from comparable starting positions.
Hamilton’s Barcelona success nevertheless represented an important moment in his campaign and demonstrated what he could achieve when supplied with competitive machinery. It also became one of the most valuable results in a season during which penalties, incidents and strategic setbacks have complicated his championship challenge.
Fisichella praises Ferrari’s SF-26 progress but identifies engine weakness
Giancarlo Fisichella also offered an extremely positive assessment of Ferrari’s recent technical development. He believes the Maranello engineers have taken a major step forward and suggested that the SF-26 may currently be the best car on the grid from a driving perspective.
That verdict did not mean he considered Ferrari’s package complete. The former Formula 1 race winner identified engine power as an area in which further improvement was still required, indicating that the Scuderia’s chassis and overall drivability may have progressed more strongly than its outright power-unit performance.
The distinction is important because a car that inspires driver confidence does not automatically possess the highest performance in every area. Ferrari’s task is to combine the SF-26’s positive handling characteristics with the straight-line performance and energy delivery required to compete consistently across different circuits. The car’s changing strengths and weaknesses have also been visible in recent technical analysis of the Ferrari SF-26.
Fisichella’s comments nevertheless underline how much the competitive picture has changed. Rather than questioning whether Hamilton can still win races, the discussion has moved towards how Ferrari should manage two highly accomplished drivers when the car is capable of fighting near the front.
Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari signing receives strong defence
Although Fisichella does not believe Hamilton should immediately be given priority, he remains an emphatic supporter of Ferrari’s decision to sign the British driver. He recalled being genuinely pleased when the move was announced, despite the criticism surrounding Hamilton’s age and the timing of the transfer.
Fisichella maintained that those concerns overlooked the qualities that made Hamilton a seven-time world champion. He highlighted the Briton’s physical condition, extensive experience and ability to maximise competitive machinery, arguing that Hamilton primarily needed Ferrari to provide him with a car capable of winning.
From that perspective, the Barcelona result validated Ferrari’s recruitment strategy. Once the SF-26 gave Hamilton a genuine opportunity, he delivered the outcome expected from a driver with his record and experience.
Fisichella’s two positions are therefore compatible. He views Hamilton as a major asset who was fully deserving of his Ferrari opportunity, but he does not believe that signing or one victory should automatically place him ahead of Leclerc within the team. With both drivers capable of delivering important results, Ferrari must continue evaluating its sporting priorities as the season develops.
That decision will also depend on the progress of the car. Charles Leclerc has already emphasised the need for Ferrari to remain aggressive with its 2026 development programme, particularly because substantial performance gains remain possible under the new regulations.
Could Kimi Antonelli eventually join Ferrari?
Fisichella also considered the more distant prospect of Andrea Kimi Antonelli one day racing for Ferrari. Asked whether he could imagine the young Italian wearing red, he acknowledged that such a move would create a significant story and suggested it might become an even greater Italian-Ferrari narrative than his own spell with the team.
However, Fisichella did not predict that the transfer would happen or indicate that discussions were taking place. He merely declined to rule out the possibility when considering how Antonelli’s career could develop in the years ahead.
The connection is naturally attractive to Italian Formula 1 supporters. A leading Italian driver competing for Ferrari would carry considerable emotional and national significance, especially if Antonelli continues developing into a championship contender. Assessments of his progress, including analysis of what Kimi Antonelli still needs to become an F1 champion, have already become an important part of the wider discussion surrounding his future.
For now, Antonelli remains closely associated with Mercedes, meaning any Ferrari scenario belongs to the longer-term future rather than the team’s immediate plans. Fisichella’s remarks were therefore more an acknowledgement of an intriguing possibility than a suggestion that a move to Maranello is currently approaching.
Ferrari’s present focus remains the partnership between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. Fisichella believes Hamilton has already demonstrated why the Scuderia wanted him, but he also considers it too early to reduce Leclerc to a supporting role. Until the competitive situation provides a clearer reason to intervene, his preference is for Ferrari to continue giving both drivers the machinery and opportunity to fight.
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