Lewis Hamilton’s second season with Ferrari has developed into a dramatically different story from his difficult first year at Maranello. After enduring a podium-less 2025 campaign, the seven-time world champion has rediscovered the form that once made him Formula 1’s dominant force.
A significant part of that turnaround has come from Ferrari developing its 2026 car around Hamilton’s needs. The 41-year-old worked closely with the team during the winter, providing feedback aimed at producing a machine better suited to his driving requirements rather than simply adapting to Ferrari’s existing philosophy.
Former F1 world champion Damon Hill believes Hamilton’s stature has given him considerable influence within the Italian team. Hill highlighted the “power” Hamilton carries because of his reputation and achievements, suggesting the Briton was in a position to push Ferrari towards giving him the machinery he needed to compete at the front.
That collaboration has delivered a remarkable change in fortunes. Hamilton has claimed five podium finishes in 2026, including one victory, establishing himself as a genuine championship contender after failing to reach the podium throughout the previous season.
Hamilton heads into the summer break second in the Drivers’ Championship, 50 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli.
“We should have stayed out”: Lewis Hamilton questions Ferrari’s Hungarian GP strategy
Lewis Hamilton was left frustrated after Ferrari’s strategy call at the Hungarian Grand Prix potentially cost him a podium finish. The seven-time world champion had recovered strongly from a three-place grid penalty and was running near the front before a late Virtual Safety Car changed the complexion of his race.
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Ferrari called Hamilton into the pits to replace his ageing hard tyres with softs while several rivals remained on track. The decision sacrificed valuable track position, with Hamilton later questioning why the stop had been necessary. “I got the call right at the pit-lane entry and I didn’t have time to debate it,” Hamilton explained, adding, “You put your faith in the team.” He made his preference clear, saying, “We should have stayed out. I need to go and see why the team pulled me in.”
Hamilton believed staying out could have left him fighting for a podium, although he acknowledged Max Verstappen’s fresher tyres would have made retaining position difficult. He suggested second might have been possible but considered third the more likely outcome. His afternoon worsened when he exceeded the pit-lane speed limit by just 0.1kph, earning a five-second penalty that dropped him from fourth on the road to fifth. Reflecting on the costly afternoon, Hamilton described it as “pretty bad, pretty frustrating.”
