Anthony Davidson believes Lewis Hamilton could finally thrive with Ferrari in 2026

Anthony Davidson believes the 2026 reset could finally hand Lewis Hamilton the car he has been craving since 2021.

Losing the title to Max Verstappen in controversial circumstances in 2021 proved to be only the beginning of Hamilton’s troubles in Formula 1.

Lewis Hamilton tipped to benefit from 2026 Formula 1 cars

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As the sport adopted ground-effect aerodynamic cars, the Briton struggled to reach the podium, never mind win races or World titles.

He bagged just two grand prix wins in his final three seasons with Mercedes as the Mercedes W-series F1 cars suffered with extreme porpoising and a misfiring concept. It seemed every time Mercedes believed it had overcome one issue, another would crop up.

Hamilton went on to shock the world of motorsport when he announced even before the first race of the F1 2024 that it would be his 12th and final season as a Mercedes driver. He was off to Ferrari.”

But his debut campaign in red did not yield the recovery that many predicted as Hamilton didn’t reach the podium in 24 races and often cut a dejected figure in his post-session interviews.

This year, though, there have been encouraging signs from the seven-time world champion.

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Finishing pre-season testing with the seventh fastest time, 1.4s slower than team-mate Charles Leclerc but only six-tenths down on P2, Kimi Antonelli, Hamilton sounded excited for the new season.

“I’m reset and refreshed,” the 41-year-old wrote on social media. “I’m not going anywhere, so stick with me.

“For a moment, I forgot who I was, but thanks to you and your support, you’re not going to see that mindset again.

“I know what needs to be done. This is going to be one hell of a season. I’ve given everything to be here today.”

Former F1 driver Davidson reckons that has a lot to do with the new cars, which should suit Hamilton’s driving style better than the ground-effect machines.

“It was a hard watch and a hard listen,” he told Racingnews365.com. “It didn’t feel right and didn’t seem like Lewis to me.

“Hopefully he’s got a car that can consistently run at the front and even deliver some race wins.

“I’m sure he’s going to win some races this year. I’m sure he will. Let’s see how it plays out.

“Last year, nothing clicked for him, apart from that sprint weekend in Shanghai. You know the talent is still in there. It’s just needs to somehow be unlocked, through the team and the car and the situation.

“It’s one of the biggest intrigues for me this year, to see how he goes.”

Speaking specifically about the cars, which have less downforce and grip than their predecessors, Davidson believes the cars will bring out the best from Hamilton.

“They have more movement within the platform of the car, and he’s quite good at reading that,” he said.

“Hopefully they’re less peaky to drive and that will he’ll be able to showcase that side of him that we all know he’s got.

“He clearly didn’t click with the previous iteration of F1 cars – stiff, low, snappy, very violent when it does let go.

“He’s one of those drivers who quite likes the car to move around under him and have a bit more compliance.

“So fingers crossed for him, he will be able to get back into the zone where he wants the car to be this year.”

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