Lewis Hamilton asked himself ‘uncomfortable questions’ after difficult Ferrari debut

Lewis Hamilton says he asked himself “uncomfortable questions” over the winter break, as he figured out what changes he needed to make for F1 2026.

The seven-time F1 World Champion endured a difficult first year with Ferrari in 2025, and says he’s worked hard to “rediscover joy” and clear his mind for the new season.

Lewis Hamilton

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Hamilton switched to Ferrari from Mercedes in 2025, with anticipation rising amongst fans that the British driver could have made the move that might secure him the elusive record-breaking eighth world championship.

But Hamilton struggled to adjust to life with Ferrari, in a season that saw few highlights in a year that Charles Leclerc stamped his authority on proceedings within the Scuderia.

The SF-25 was not a car capable of titles, nor of Grand Prix victories, but Leclerc hauled his car to six podium finishes, while Hamilton didn’t score any.

Hamilton did have a false dawn, with victory in the Sprint race in China, but such a high was not to be repeated during the rest of the year. He finished with 156 points in sixth place, 86 points behind Leclerc in fifth.

Over the winter, Ferrari confirmed that Hamilton will have a new race engineer for 2026, with Riccardo Adami being moved to another area of the company. Adami’s successor hasn’t yet been confirmed.

With brand-new regulations for 2026, Hamilton looked much more at ease during pre-season testing in Bahrain, with a smile back on his face after being unable to hide his disappointment towards the end of ’25.

Speaking in an interview with Italy’s Corriere della Sera, Hamilton said he’s holding himself to account after not delivering to his own standards last season.

“It’s about analysing where you are, setting goals and a way to achieve them,” he said.

“My goal last year was to win the World Championship with Ferrari, but I didn’t succeed.

That doesn’t mean I can’t get there: you have to look inside yourself and observe the people around you, from your colleagues to your family, stay motivated, and ask yourself uncomfortable questions.

“‘Am I doing enough? Can I be better? Can I be kinder? How should I change my methods?'”

Hamilton said he’s confident he’s found the answers but that, to start the process, “you need to understand how to find them”.

Asked whether his approach for this season has changed compared to his first with Ferrari, Hamilton hinted that he may have let the enormity of his move to the Scuderia affect him.

“This is the Year of the Fire Horse, according to the Chinese calendar,” he said.

“It represents freedom, the desire to clear your mind of pressure and refocus on fundamental values.

“When you let responsibility weigh you down, you risk losing not only yourself but also the fun. You have to rediscover joy. When we presented the new car, I felt as happy as a child.”

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In order to even think about a title with Ferrari, Hamilton has to concern himself with the strength of Leclerc in the sister car.

But Hamilton insists he’s not viewing Leclerc as an antagonist in his story, saying that doing so would “divide the fans”.

“I don’t see it that way,” he said.

“Ferrari is one thing: in Italy and abroad, people follow it like a religion and love it like the Pope. My goal is not to divide the fans.

“We both want to win, and obviously, I want to be the one to do it, and I’m working towards that.

“But the team comes first. Charles is a phenomenal driver in terms of his driving and his ethics, and he’s been here for eight years. But I’m coming into this championship in a different way.

‘I’ve been working on the 2026 car for 14 months, on the simulator and with the engineers.

“Compared to the previous one, which I found already designed and could change very little, this car has a bit of my DNA in it, and that excites me.”

Over the past few years, as times have become more difficult for Hamilton, speculation has abounded about his future in F1, and whether he may see out the entirety of his contract with Ferrari.

Almost 20 years of uninterrupted participation in F1 later, Hamilton said he still feels the emotions of racing in motorsport’s highest category.

“Only two people in the world drive a Ferrari in F1, and I am one of them,” he said.

“I am embarking on this crazy mission representing millions of people around the world, trying to free myself from what has not been effective. What works for other drivers does not work for me, and vice versa.”

With Ferrari setting the fastest time of Bahrain pre-season testing, and their car and power unit appearing competitive ahead of the season opener, Hamilton explained that a clear picture of the pecking order is yet to emerge, but that Ferrari has the pieces in place to succeed.

“Little emerged from the tests; everyone hid with their fuel loads,” he said.

“I call Toto Wolff at Mercedes and Zak Brown at McLaren to try to understand what they have learned, but I get no results.

“However, I am certain of one thing: after what we went through last year, we can handle any situation. This team has everything it takes to win; we have to get the job done together with the fans. It’s easier said than done, but I came to Ferrari because I believed in it, and I still do.”

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