Jonas Leo
Shanghai, China – Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, has declared he is "back to his best, both mentally and physically," following his inaugural podium finish with Ferrari at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix. The British driver, now in his second season with the Scuderia, underscored his renewed confidence while acknowledging there remains "room to improve" as he continues to integrate with the Italian outfit and influence the development of their machinery.
The Shanghai International Circuit, a venue that saw Hamilton secure a rare sprint race victory during his challenging final season with Mercedes in 2024, proved to be a pivotal moment for the 41-year-old. After a demanding first year with Ferrari in 2025, which saw him adapt to the Maranello-based squad without significant input into the SF-25’s design, the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix marked a significant upturn. Hamilton demonstrated his enduring prowess by outqualifying his highly-rated teammate Charles Leclerc in both the sprint and grand prix sessions, before emerging victorious in a protracted Sunday battle against the Monegasque. This strong performance propelled him to the third step of the podium, a significant milestone for his tenure at Ferrari, even as the Mercedes drivers ultimately proved unassailable at the front.
This podium represented a profound sense of relief for Hamilton, who, in what was his 26th Grand Prix start with the Scuderia, had endured the longest wait for a maiden Ferrari podium in the team’s storied history for a marquee driver. His move to Ferrari, announced to widespread surprise and anticipation, had been framed as a pursuit of a lifelong dream and a final chapter in his illustrious career.
"I started this voyage and this dream of moving to Ferrari and being on the top step with them, and this podium has taken longer than I had hoped," Hamilton admitted after the race. His candid reflection highlighted the immense pressure and expectation surrounding his transfer to the iconic Italian team. "After a difficult year last year [2025], to be able to be a part of developing with them, working with them over the past year, gives me huge pride, and it’s such a privilege to be a part of this brand. They provided us a really solid car."
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The declaration of being "back to his best" is particularly noteworthy given Hamilton’s age and the rigorous demands of Formula 1. When pressed on whether he felt he had regained his top form after the challenges of his debut Ferrari season, he affirmed unequivocally, "I definitely feel like I’m back to my best, both mentally and physically, yes." This assertion comes amidst a backdrop of intense personal preparation, which Hamilton detailed as unprecedented in his career.
"Training this winter has been the heaviest and the most intense that I’ve ever had, and that probably comes hand in hand with being older," the Englishman explained. "It takes longer to recover. But I’ve managed to pull these new tools together." He credited his long-standing trainer, with whom he collaborated extensively since Christmas Day, for facilitating this physical resurgence. Such dedication underscores the commitment required to compete at the pinnacle of motorsport, particularly for veteran drivers who face increasingly youthful and physically honed competition. The demanding nature of contemporary F1 cars, with their high g-forces and complex controls, necessitates peak physical condition, a challenge Hamilton appears to be meeting head-on.
Beyond physical conditioning, Hamilton’s improved performance is intrinsically linked to his deepening integration within the Ferrari team. A significant factor has been his new race engineer, Carlo Santi, who previously worked with the renowned Kimi Räikkönen. This arrangement, currently provisional, has clearly provided a "real good boost," contributing to "great morale within the team." The relationship between a driver and their race engineer is paramount in Formula 1, serving as the crucial communication link for car setup, strategy, and real-time adjustments during a race. Santi’s experience and chemistry with Hamilton appear to be yielding immediate dividends.
Despite his confident declaration, Hamilton remains pragmatic about further potential gains. "I do think there’s more to come. I think I can still eke out more performance from this car," he stated, highlighting his ongoing adaptation. "I’m still learning about it as I go, particularly with deployment and that." This continuous learning process, even for a driver of Hamilton’s experience, illustrates the evolving complexity of modern F1 power units and their intricate energy recovery systems.
Crucially, Hamilton’s enhanced involvement in the car’s development has played a pivotal role. "Then on the backside, mid to end of last year [2025], digging deep with the engineers and talking to them about the things that I wanted from a car that I didn’t have any part of developing last year," he revealed. "To then develop the car with them this year [2026] and to see them listen and put some of those things that I’d asked for on the car, I’m incredibly grateful to them for listening on that side of things. It just makes you feel more united with everyone because you’re moving in the same direction." This level of influence, a hallmark of his championship-winning years at Mercedes, indicates a maturing relationship with Ferrari’s technical departments and a shared vision for the SF-26. His direct input on design philosophy and handling characteristics is invaluable for a team striving for championship contention.
Team Principal Fred Vasseur echoed Hamilton’s sentiments, emphasizing the natural progression for drivers in their second season with a new team. "Honestly, I think it’s always much easier the second [season], because you are part of the project from the beginning; he was in the simulator in the middle of ‘25, when we started the project," Vasseur pointed out after the Chinese Grand Prix. This early involvement in the 2026 car’s conceptual phase contrasts sharply with his late arrival for the 2025 season. "And I think he feels also a bit more involved into the project than he was one year ago; when he joined the team in January, the car was there."
Vasseur further elaborated on the benefits of deeper integration. "He knows also a little bit more everybody, the relationship is getting better and better, it’s easier for him to deal with people and to work with everybody. Step by step, we have to do marginal gains, because it’s like this that we’ll close the gap." The "gap" Vasseur refers to is undoubtedly to the current front-runners, a perennial challenge for Ferrari in recent years. The team’s last constructors’ championship came in 2008, and their most recent drivers’ title was Kimi Räikkönen’s in 2007. While Charles Leclerc has shown flashes of brilliance, consistent championship challenges have eluded the Scuderia.
The timing of Hamilton’s resurgence is particularly significant with the impending radical regulation changes slated for the 2026 Formula 1 season. These new rules, set to overhaul chassis design, aerodynamics, and power unit architecture, represent a significant reset for all teams. A driver of Hamilton’s calibre, possessing vast experience in adapting to new regulations and developing championship-winning cars, combined with his now deep integration into Ferrari’s technical framework, positions the team strongly to exploit these changes. His influence on the SF-26 and subsequent cars could be the decisive factor in Ferrari’s quest to reclaim championship glory. The Chinese Grand Prix podium, therefore, serves not merely as a relief but as a powerful statement of intent for Hamilton and Ferrari’s long-term ambitions in the new era of Formula 1.
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Author Profile
- Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.
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