Lewis Hamilton hails ‘best racing’ of F1 career after fierce Charles Leclerc Chinese GP duel

Speaking after an action-packed Chinese Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton said the F1 2026 regulations have produced the “best racing” he has experienced in the sport.

Hamilton went blow-for-blow with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ George Russell in Shanghai, “go karting” style duels which left the seven-time world champion in high spirits after the race.

Lewis Hamilton praises F1 2026 racing after Charles Leclerc battle in China

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It started as a three-way scrap between Hamilton, Leclerc and Russell, as eventual first-time grand prix winner Kimi Antonelli scampered away out front.

Once Russell cleared the Ferraris, Hamilton and Leclerc treated us to a gripping ding-dong battle for the final podium position.

Hamilton emerged the victor, securing his first podium as a Ferrari driver, and a record-extending 203rd of his career.

Speaking alongside Russell and Antonelli in the post-race press conference, Hamilton was asked to reflect on that Leclerc battle, and was quizzed on whether it is easier to follow another driver in these new F1 2026 cars.

“Yeah, the cars are easier to follow, much better than past years,” Hamilton confirmed. “You can get very close. There’s not a bad wake where you’re losing too much downforce.

“I think it’s the best racing that I’ve ever experienced in Formula 1.

“Of course, these guys [Mercedes] are pulling past us at crazy speeds, but to be able to all be so close… It’s great that we have the good start at the moment and hopefully that stays the same through the year.

“Given that they’ve gone for a different option where they have more power, we’ve got to figure out how we can improve our straight-line speed.

“But hopefully it was an exciting race to watch for you guys because it was awesome in the car. It felt like go-karting, back and forth, back and forth, and you could really position your car in a nice way where there was a thin piece of paper between us sometimes, but we didn’t exchange any paint. I think that’s down to great drivers and respect.”

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The dynamics behind overtaking are different in F1 2026. The near 50/50 split of electrical and internal combustion engine power, means battery harvesting, deployment and super clipping all now heavily influence overtaking, and defensive opportunities.

Hamilton was asked whether it was tough to work out best battery usage over the winter, ahead of experiencing this new formula in action.

“Very much so. Very much so.

“I think in testing actually I didn’t really get to experience it. It’s really more in these three races that we’ve had, with the Sprint race and this race and obviously Melbourne, that it’s really become apparent when you’re surrounded by the cars in the fight what battery usage is like, and when you have the boost, how to utilise it and all those sorts of things.

“So, very, very challenging.

“I mean, I don’t necessarily feel a huge step compared to these guys – when the boost is there, when you’re within that one second, they’re still pulling away on the straight. So we overall just need more.

“But it is much more study, I would say, than any other era that I’ve had, and you have to be very, very meticulous and pay attention to the fine detail.”

Next up is the Japanese Grand Prix, a race which Hamilton has won five times in his career. You must go back to Michael Schumacher in 2004, though, for the most recent Ferrari driver to win the Japanese Grand Prix.

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