Formula 1 reached its halfway point at the Silverstone Grand Prix, marking the ideal time to reflect and assess both the present situation and the future, particularly in light of one of the biggest technical overhauls in the sport’s history. Although the current season and the 2026 campaign might appear distant, they are closely linked by a continuous thread made up of experience, development, and long-term planning.
At Ferrari, this connection has become clear in the need to turn around a season that has so far fallen short of early expectations, and in the growing awareness that the work done today—and in the coming months—will lay the foundation for the Formula 1 car of 2026. While development is still in its early stages, this is already a delicate phase in which basic design decisions are being established.
Like in any new journey, the mid-season moment becomes an opportunity not just to improve immediate performance but also to start putting one’s personal mark on the future—not only from a technical standpoint but also in terms of work methodology. Every driver brings with them a wealth of experience that can become an invaluable resource, especially when it comes from a team that has remained at the top of the grid for years.
Lewis Hamilton’s 2025 Formula 1 season has unfortunately been inconsistent so far, in part due to a lack of strong feeling or synergy with the current SF-25 car, aside from a few rare exceptions. It is precisely from these technical and subjective challenges that the seven-time world champion is attempting to build his contribution toward Ferrari’s 2026 project. He has spoken about his ambition to inject his own DNA into the car that will represent the team in the new regulatory era.
Some of the issues the Briton has encountered stem from structural characteristics of the car itself, which require careful navigation to extract performance. Others are tied more to subtle factors that emerge as a driver adapts to a completely new team and technical environment. This is a common process, as seen with Carlos Sainz at Williams and Nico Hülkenberg at Sauber, the latter having requested changes to the power steering system and throttle response.
The power steering system, in fact, is one of the first aspects Lewis Hamilton focused on from his earliest runs with the Maranello-based team. Beyond what surfaced following the British Grand Prix, which may include challenges linked to a redesigned hydraulic system necessitated by the revised suspension layout, Hamilton reportedly requested targeted changes to better suit his driving style and preferences. These requirements only become apparent through continuous on-track testing and adaptation.
It is important to distinguish between structural problems—shared by both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton—and subjective needs that are connected to a driver’s individual feedback. Steering system calibration, in particular, is a deeply personal matter. Every Formula 1 driver has specific preferences, which tend to become more evident when changing teams and encountering new lateral loads on the track.
These specific nuances come on top of the inherent difficulties of the Ferrari SF-25, a car that has frequently proven difficult to balance. Charles Leclerc has taken an extreme approach in terms of car setup, especially with his aggressive use of the front axle and his ability to manage the instability of the rear. Lewis Hamilton has tested multiple setup directions in an effort to find a comfortable balance—some of which worked better than others. It is for this reason that he gradually began converging toward Leclerc’s solutions.
Lewis Hamilton explained that the Monegasque driver and the team had identified a way to make the car work effectively. He stated that he had tried all the alternative approaches that should theoretically deliver performance, but for reasons unknown, they failed to do so. As a result, he gradually started aligning himself more closely with the direction in which Leclerc was taking the car.
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion added that the Austrian Grand Prix was the moment when he felt closest to his teammate in terms of setup and race pace, although he acknowledged that driving the car still felt difficult and unbalanced. Despite this, the changes made have begun to improve his qualifying performance, allowing him to reduce the gap to his teammate. However, during race stints, especially as tire grip fades, Hamilton has continued to struggle more than Charles Leclerc.
Some difficulties persist that cannot be resolved merely through setup adjustments—such as the lack of confidence in high-speed corners. Lewis Hamilton has struggled all season with instability in fast turns, particularly those with tighter radii, where a high degree of trust in the car and precision steering are essential. It is no surprise, then, that Hamilton has highlighted stability as a key area for improvement, both in the short term and looking ahead to the 2026 season.
Jerome D’Ambrosio, deputy team principal at Ferrari, noted that Charles Leclerc had been working with a slightly oversteering setup, which had proven effective. He explained that Lewis Hamilton had recently adopted a similar approach and was beginning to make it work as well. Jerome D’Ambrosio suggested that this was likely a consequence of the current technical regulations, which tend to produce instability at corner entry. He said that today’s Formula 1 cars are inherently nervous, and that drivers must learn to manage that instability.
Even Charles Leclerc is limited by certain design-specific weaknesses, such as front-end grip in slow corners. The longer the corner and the more it demands precise control of the racing line, the more the SF-25’s front tends toward understeer. Conversely, in tighter, more abrupt turns, some of these weaknesses are masked, as observed during the Austrian Grand Prix. This underlines the challenge in finding a balance between competing setup compromises.
Some of these areas can be improved in the short term, but others require more time and are especially relevant for 2026. The aim for the new car is not necessarily to pursue a single setup philosophy but to allow for greater operational flexibility. From the start of the season, Hamilton has highlighted problems with both the braking system and the engine braking, which he finds too aggressive. By contrast, Mercedes had a smoother configuration—something that cannot be corrected with a simple steering wheel adjustment, particularly for a driver who prefers to carry brake pressure into corners.
When developing a new Formula 1 car, engineers primarily aim to achieve performance objectives through the design itself, ensuring the desired aerodynamic load and resistance targets are met. For this reason, the cars are not built around a specific driver. Instead, the feedback from drivers typically informs areas where they would like more flexibility—broad topics that, based on their experience, can influence the overall direction of the project.
This is exactly where Lewis Hamilton is aiming to leave his mark and provide his personal “DNA” to Ferrari’s 2026 project—not only from a technical standpoint but also in terms of team operations. It should be noted that, due to the demanding Formula 1 calendar, official drivers often test the following year’s car in the simulator rather late—unless there is a major regulation change. In such cases, feedback tends to come earlier, but usually on a conceptual level rather than on specific technical details.
During the Silverstone weekend, Jerome D’Ambrosio explained that the team listens to input from both drivers. He said it was interesting how, during meetings at the factory, the drivers often arrived at similar requests at a conceptual level, even though they communicated them differently.
The Ferrari deputy team principal clarified that while part of the development process revolves around delivering an upgrade package that maximizes aerodynamic performance, there is also a significant focus on giving drivers the right tools and environment to perform at their best and tailor the car to their driving style as much as possible.
According to Jerome D’Ambrosio, car development has two phases that are not completely disconnected. First, there is the creation of a balanced overall package that generates performance. Then comes the phase focused on finer details—specific driver preferences—and in this second stage, he stressed, it is crucial to listen to the drivers.
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