Lewis Hamilton: ‘My essence’ is present in this Ferrari – F1 2025 is in my past
Lewis Hamilton stated that he enters 2026 “personally in the best place” he has experienced in quite some time, driving a Ferrari car that he believes incorporates more of his “DNA” in its design.
Hamilton faced a frustratingly disappointing inaugural season with Ferrari in 2025, during which he did not achieve a single grand prix podium finish.
Ferrari has shown a promising start to preseason testing thus far, and Hamilton appears to be in high spirits, a notable difference from his demeanor for much of the previous year as his performance declined.
Hamilton has attributed his renewed outlook to an off-season digital detox, along with his increasing comfort with the Italian team.
“I’ve obviously gone through quite a bit and you know left everything … all of last year’s behind me,” Hamilton remarked in Bahrain on Wednesday during a pause in F1’s second preseason test.
“I dedicated a significant amount of time to rebuilding over this winter, refocusing, and truly enhancing my physical and mental state. I genuinely feel personally in the best position I’ve been in a long time, having reorganized aspects within my team, and I think we have made a solid start with the car so far. It’s an exciting time with this new generation of car as well because it’s entirely new.
“We’re all trying to navigate this together, and last year we were confined to a car that I ultimately inherited. This is a car that I’ve been involved in developing on the simulator for the past ten months, eight months, and so a bit of my DNA is within it, so I feel more connected to this one for sure.”
A part of Hamilton’s internal restructuring has included the search for a new race engineer, following what seemed to be a challenging year with Riccardo Adami on the other end of his radio in 2025.
Hamilton’s difficult debut season also coincided with a generally disappointing year for Ferrari, although this was mitigated by the team’s decision to shift focus to this year’s significant rule changes much earlier than its competitors.
The specifics of Hamilton’s contract have never been disclosed, but he has previously indicated that it extends beyond 2026—he believes the positive atmosphere emerging from the team justifies his long-term commitment.
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“My confidence in the team remains absolutely unchanged,” he added. “I recognize the trust in this team and what they are capable of, which is why I joined.
“I was aware that it wouldn’t be an immediate success; it’s a process, and that’s why I signed a longer deal, because I knew it often requires time. I feel that we have also gained significant insights from last year as a team.
“There have been adjustments we’ve made, and everyone is consistently eager to improve and be better, so I believe we are collaborating more effectively than ever before, and I’m looking forward to that as we move ahead.”
Source: espn.com
