Lewis Hamilton has once again shown competitiveness in Formula 1 and pointed out one of the main reasons for his recent improvement at Ferrari. After finishing second at the Canadian GP last weekend, in a race marked by a duel against Max Verstappen, the Briton praised the work of the new race engineer, Carlo Santi, and stated that the partnership has been decisive in improving his performance.
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Hamilton said that the change in communication within the team helped Ferrari find a more efficient path in setting up the SF-26. After a complicated start working with Riccardo Adami last year, Hamilton revealed he is completely satisfied with the new dynamic created alongside Santi.
The Italian took over the role at the beginning of the season, initially on a provisional basis, but the positive impact quickly turned the position into an important piece within Ferrari’s structure. The results are also starting to show on track, with Hamilton already scoring two podiums in 2026 and appearing close to teammate Charles Leclerc in the championship standings after five rounds.
Speaking after the race, the Briton highlighted that he chose a different setup direction throughout the weekend after analyzing the data together with the new engineer. According to him, the understanding between the two has been working very positively.
“I chose a different setup this weekend by analyzing the data and working very well with my engineer. He is absolutely fantastic and I’m loving working with him. My performance engineer also did an incredible job this weekend and helped me extract more performance from the car, putting it in a much better situation,” Hamilton said.
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The seven-time world champion also highlighted that he finally managed to attack the corners the way he wanted, something that had been missing in the first races of the season. For Hamilton, the changes made by Ferrari and the support given by the team were fundamental to regaining confidence behind the wheel.
“I managed to attack all the corners again. As I said, there were many changes I requested, and Fred (Vasseur, team principal) has been extremely supportive, moving mountains to make me comfortable. This is finally starting to show in my performance. So, I thank the team,” Hamilton concluded.
Hamilton’s recent reaction reinforces the feeling of growth within Ferrari after a more complicated adaptation start. The competitive performance shown in recent races indicates that the Briton is beginning to find the desired balance in the SF-26, while the partnership with Carlo Santi is gaining increasing importance within the Italian team.
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