Lewis Hamilton is experiencing a significant recovery in Formula 1 in 2026, after a difficult first year at Ferrari. For the former driver and two-time F1 champion, Emerson Fittipaldi, the change in car characteristics helped highlight an important quality of the seven-time champion.
Read more F1: McLaren reveals change that helped team return to the top
Hamilton joined Ferrari after ending his long stint at Mercedes, but struggled to adapt to the new team in 2025, and was often outperformed by teammate Charles Leclerc. Last year, for the first time in his career, the Brit finished a season without achieving any podiums in GPs and even questioned his own value within the Italian team.
The scenario changed with the new regulations that came into effect this year. Hamilton currently holds second place in the drivers’ championship and has already won his first GP for Ferrari, in Barcelona. Fittipaldi celebrated the British driver’s comeback and recalled the criticism received the previous year: “Everyone criticized Lewis last year: ‘He can’t beat Leclerc, he’s old.’ Now he is strong again,” he said.
In the two-time champion’s assessment, however, there is a little-discussed element behind the evolution: “One thing that nobody talks much about is the new car,” added Fittipaldi, highlighting that the 2026 cars are smaller and have less aerodynamic downforce, characteristics that, according to him, make driving more demanding and allow the driver’s talent to have greater influence.
Read more F1: Brundle says Bearman should consider «Plan B» regarding Ferrari
Fittipaldi directly linked this characteristic to Hamilton’s recovery: “I think this is one of the reasons why Lewis has improved, because of the car control and the sensitivity he has with the car, he is an extremely talented driver,” concluded the Brazilian.
The Brazilian also highlighted that Hamilton is in his second year at Ferrari, knows the engineers better, and is already familiar with how the team operates, factors that, for him, help explain the Brit’s positive moment.
Read more F1: Ex-Ferrari engineer says Leclerc looks «a little lost» next to Hamilton
