At 41 years old, Lewis Hamilton demonstrates an impressive turnaround in Formula 1 in 2026, defying the expectations of many who doubted his performance after years at Mercedes and a difficult start at Ferrari. Currently second in the category, the English driver, even 50 points behind the young Kimi Antonelli, responds to criticism with high-level performances, keeping his dream of winning his eighth world title alive. His ability to reinvent himself and the synergy of external and internal factors consolidate a unique opportunity for the veteran.
Several aspects support the possibility of the seven-time champion catching Antonelli or, at the very least, definitively entering the dispute for the leadership. To contextualize the magnitude of his current phase, Hamilton has not occupied second place in the championship since 2021, the year in which he faced Max Verstappen in an epic battle for the title. On that occasion, victory did not come; however, this time, the situation may have a different outcome for the pilot.
Ferrari’s powerful chassis as a differentiator
One of Ferrari’s main strengths in the 2026 season is the car itself. Lewis Hamilton, a few months ago, described the vehicle as “fantastic”, and the seven-time champion agrees with his rivals’ perception that Ferrari has the most robust chassis on the grid. Its aerodynamic efficiency has grown significantly, especially after recent updates implemented, notably in Barcelona.
Certain circuits, in turn, favor cars with more precise construction, and it is no coincidence that Barcelona was the location of Ferrari’s first victory this year. However, the engine remains the weak point of the Maranello team, presenting a deficit compared to the power unit of the leader Mercedes.
Despite the disadvantage in the engine, the turbo developed by the Italian team represents a notable positive point. Its more compact design optimizes acceleration at the start, transforming the two Ferrari cars into a constant threat to competitors at the start of races.
Hamilton’s personal pre-race preparation strategy
Lewis Hamilton, despite having started his career in F1 with McLaren — a team that pioneered the use of simulators in the early 2000s — is not an enthusiast of this technology. Since his years at Mercedes, the seven-time champion has avoided the extensive use of simulators and has admitted to having had little help from them even in his winning seasons (including 2020 and 2021).
The English pilot argues that there are many differences between what is practiced in the simulator and the conditions found on the real track. For this reason, starting from this year’s Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton decided to fully rely on his vast experience in motorsport and gave up the simulator in his preparation.
The strategy adopted by Hamilton has shown positive results so far. The driver reached the podium not only in Canada, but also in the following two races, including a victory in Barcelona. Since then, his worst finish has been fifth, a significant contrast to the two sixth places achieved in four Grands Prix prior to the Montreal race.
Hamilton’s superior performance against Charles Leclerc
In contrast to 2025, when Hamilton arrived at Ferrari in an already established structure and with another driver (Carlos Sainz) as a reference, the year 2026 was marked by a significant internal restructuring, with the active participation of the Englishman.
Hamilton currently drives a car he helped develop and is part of a team he helped reorganize. Furthermore, the new technical regulations are more in line with your driving style, overcoming the challenges of old ground-effect cars. All these factors contributed to the seven-time champion performing better than Charles Leclerc, his teammate.
While Charles Leclerc occupies fourth place in the Drivers’ World Championship, Hamilton is second, with five podiums compared to his teammate’s four. Until the British Grand Prix, Hamilton was the only Ferrari driver to have won this season, but the Monegasque took victory at the Silverstone Circuit, modestly reducing the performance gap between them.
The high reliability of the Ferrari car in 2026
In pre-season, Ferrari achieved a remarkable feat in terms of reliability, something that even the seemingly invincible Mercedes could not match. The Italian team completed the two weeks of testing in Bahrain with only two minor setbacks: a chassis failure and a problem during fuel pickup tests.
This high reliability allowed the team to develop and test an innovative rotating rear wing. Ferrari ended the pre-season with the third highest mileage on the grid, accumulating 1164 laps, a number close to Haas’ 1175 laps and Mercedes’ 1204.
Initial performance suggested that breakdowns would not be a problem for the team in 2026. Although Charles Leclerc had two failures that resulted in retirements in the Monaco and Barcelona GPs, Lewis Hamilton maintains an impeccable record in this regard. The veteran is the only driver on the grid who has completed and scored points in all the races held so far.
Difficulties faced by competing teams
Mercedes, despite being almost unbeatable in terms of speed on the track, has faced recurring engine problems that affect both George Russell and leader Kimi Antonelli. McLaren, the current champion, achieved victory with Lando Norris at the Hungarian GP after a period of fasting, but the team also had crashes at the beginning of the year and is still looking for the best adaptation with the Mercedes engine.
For its part, Red Bull continues to search for its best form. Difficulties in setting up the car and the new power unit, developed in partnership with Ford, have limited the performance of even Max Verstappen, a driver known for overcoming the technical restrictions of his equipment.
Amid so many challenges faced by its rivals, Ferrari is sailing in calmer waters. While focusing on the crucial improvement of its engine, the team has the chance to capitalize on competitors’ failures and maximize the potential of its own equipment on specific circuits, creating a rare window of opportunity for the seven-time champion.
Lewis Hamilton’s excellent psychological phase
At the beginning of 2026, Lewis Hamilton declared that Ferrari had rediscovered its winning spirit. This statement contrasts sharply with the driver who, the previous year, in the midst of his “worst season”, threw in the towel.
The 2026 Ferrari has undergone a significant internal reorganization, which, for Hamilton, included the introduction of a new brake manufacturer and the arrival of Italian track engineer Carlo Santi. These results elevated the seven-time champion to a role in F1 that he had not experienced since 2021, when he was runner-up in the World Championship.
Winning the Barcelona Grand Prix, after a fast of almost two years, was essential for the Englishman to rediscover his competitive essence. This experience became a personal mantra, even adopted by other athletes, such as striker Neymar.
With a period of greater tranquility, Hamilton began to count on the presence of his mother, Carmen Larbalestier, who accompanies him on trips and supports him in some stages of F1. His good phase is not restricted to the track: since the beginning of the year, the seven-time champion began a relationship with American businesswoman and socialite Kim Kardashian.
This is Hamilton’s first public relationship since Nicole Scherzinger (between 2008 and 2015). Kim Kardashian made her first appearance in the paddock as the driver’s companion at the Monaco GP, when he highlighted her support this season. Since then, the couple has been seen frequently on social media, making their relationship official and even adopting a new pet, the dog Halo.
Engine development opportunities through the ADUO system
With the prediction that the introduction of a new engine regulation could widen the disparity between teams in F1, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) established the ADUO system, an acronym for “Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities”.
This mechanism offers a series of benefits to manufacturers who have a considerable deficit, seeking to balance competition. It allows automakers to improve their projects through more testing time, additional updates and spending cap readjustments.
F1 has already completed two of the three ADUO analysis periods. Although the official results of the first period, after the Canadian GP, have not been released, specialized media indicate that Red Bull’s internal combustion engine (ICE) is considered the best on the grid. Mercedes would be 2% below this mark, and Ferrari, 4%.
For Ferrari, the ADUO system translates into four updates in total, two for the current season and another two for 2027. One of these modifications, aimed at improving the engine’s thermal resistance, has already been integrated by Maranello engineers. This technical support offers the team a vital chance to overcome its main weakness, transforming it into an even stronger contender in the quest for the 2026 title.
Mercedes’ respect and fear of Hamilton’s talent
Before joining Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton built a successful career at Mercedes, winning six drivers’ titles. Amid the current dispute with Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, both Silver Arrows drivers, the veteran has the advantage of knowing that his former team knows his capabilities perfectly, which could become an asset in an eventual battle for the title.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes boss and a figure present during Lewis Hamilton’s glorious years at the team, publicly confessed that he would prefer not to have to face the seven-time champion in a fight for a world title. According to the Austrian, the British “smells blood” when an opportunity arises, and from that moment on, it becomes extremely difficult to overcome.
“I would prefer not to compete for a title with him (Hamilton), because I know what he is capable of. If he smells blood, he attacks. I have seen this happen for many years: suddenly, the Lewis Hamilton “train” starts moving and then it is very difficult to stop him”, said the manager in June.
