Lewis Hamilton planning rethink with ‘personal team’ after ‘very draining’ admission

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton has vowed to work with his “personal team” to establish a “more efficient” working schedule for the F1 2026 season.

It comes after the seven-time world champion lifted the lid on a “very draining” 2025 in a post to social media on Wednesday.

Lewis Hamilton working with ‘personal team’ on F1 2026 changes

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Hamilton suffered a punishing first season as a Ferrari driver last year, failing to score a podium across a campaign for the first time in his career.

He finished a distant sixth in the drivers’ standings, trailing teammate Charles Leclerc by a massive 86 points.

Hamilton, the second-oldest driver on the current grid behind Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, celebrated his 41st birthday on Wednesday.

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The former Mercedes driver marked the occasion with a post to social media in which he opened up about a “very draining year” in 2025 and revealed that he has found “a bit of inner peace” over the winter break.

Hamilton went on to declare “the time for change” is now, revealing that he is “starting new routines” and “leaving behind unwanted patterns” in 2026.

The veteran conceded in the closing months of the 2025 season that adjusting to life at Ferrari had “been a lot” to deal with, pointing to “the amount of [photo] shoots we’ve done” over the season.

Speaking to PlanetF1.com and other media outlets at the final race in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton vowed that he would work with his “personal team away from the track” to establish a less-demanding schedule for F1 2026.

Asked what needed to happen for him to approach the new season with confidence, Hamilton said: “I think we just need to analyse where we’ve been, what’s been good, areas that we can improve on.

“I know where they all are. It’s sitting down with the team at the end of the year.

“I’ll look internally with my personal team away from the track and see what we can do make [things] more efficient with timing and travelling and all these different things and I’ll do the same with the team.”

Hamilton cryptically referred to “leaving behind the Year of the Snake” and “entering the Year of the Horse” in his social media post on Wednesday, an apparent reference to the Chinese new-year symbols for 2025 and 2026.

His full post read: “Another return.

“I’m incredibly grateful for this break. Time to disconnect, recharge and find a bit of inner peace. Time with family and friends replenishing with rest and good laughs has been everything I needed after a very draining year.

“In a world that moves so fast where we’re constantly being pulled in so many directions, truly disconnecting, and has been the most amazing feeling.

“I’m conscious that we’re entering the Year of the Horse and leaving behind the Year of the Snake.

“The time for change is now. Starting new routines, leaving behind unwanted patterns and working on growth.

“Let go of things that don’t serve you. This can take time, there will be things you can’t get rid of immediately, but it starts with the first step.

“Even though the world can seem like a mess, I hope that you’re staying focused on living life to the fullest.

“Be you and never forget who you are. I learnt that from many of you who told me this in 2025, and I’ll never forget again!

“Your support means the world to me, and I’m here for you too. You are never alone.

“Let’s take it one day at a time, one step at a time.”

Hamilton was linked with a change of race engineer for F1 2026 after a number of awkward exchanges with Riccardo Adami last season.

Fred Vasseur, the Ferrari team principal, left the door open to a change in December, simply commenting that the team was “evaluating all options” when asked about Adami’s future.

As reported by PlanetF1.com, however, Adami is expected to remain as Hamilton’s race engineer this season after what has been described as a ‘very positive dinner’ between the pair away from the track.

Additional reporting by Mat Coch and Thomas Maher

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