Formula 1 could once again have Lewis Hamilton as one of the main protagonists of the 2026 season. For Jacques Villeneuve, the Ferrari driver showed clear signs of recovery and could become “almost unbeatable” when he is in the right mental state and with a competitive car in his hands.
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The assessment of the 1997 world champion reinforces the good impression left by Hamilton at the start of this championship. After a difficult 2025 season, the Briton seems to have rediscovered confidence and enthusiasm with the new regulations and with the SF-26.
Hamilton was quite open when talking about last year’s problems, when he experienced a season below expectations and finished without reaching the podium for the first time in his Formula 1 career. The change of scenery in 2026, however, seems to have renewed the driver.
According to the context highlighted by Villeneuve himself, part of this reaction involves Hamilton’s personal involvement in the development of the new Ferrari car. The SF-26, combined with the new technical regulations, gave the seven-time champion an important boost at the beginning of this year.
The result is already appearing on the track. Hamilton has returned to the top positions more regularly and, at the start of this season, has already appeared among the leaders with a frequency similar to or even higher than that seen in his first year with the Italian team.
At the Chinese GP, the Briton once again demonstrated competitiveness by engaging in an intense battle with George Russell for the lead of the Sprint. Even without winning, the performance reinforced the perception that Hamilton still has the pace to fight with the main names on the grid.
Villeneuve highlighted precisely this combination of speed, experience, and motivation. For the Canadian, the Briton still has the energy needed to compete at a high level, even at 41 years old.
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“It’s good to see Lewis like this,” Villeneuve stated in Shanghai, during his appearance as a commentator for Sky Sports F1. In the former driver’s assessment, there are practically “two versions” of Hamilton, one extremely strong when he is confident and another more dejected when things don’t work out.
“When he is positive like this, he is almost unbeatable. He is fast,” Villeneuve said. The Canadian also used qualifying as an example, recalling that Hamilton outperformed his own teammate, a driver recognized for his strength in fast laps.
For Villeneuve, the experience accumulated throughout his career has not taken away the Briton’s competitive ability. On the contrary, it adds to an energy that still appears when the scenario is favorable.
At the same time, the Canadian recalled the contrast with 2025, when Hamilton experienced a low period. “Last year, it seemed like everything was going down and dragging a lot of negative energy with him, and that is never good to see,” he commented.
In Villeneuve’s view, the decisive factor for the rest of the season will be Ferrari’s ability to remain at least close to Mercedes in performance. If that happens, Hamilton will be in a position to put pressure on Russell and the other front-runners.
“If we can see Lewis like this throughout the season, he will be a force to be reckoned with,” Villeneuve concluded.
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