Lewis Hamilton has revealed some key changes in his relationship with Ferrari, leaving him “really, really excited” for his second Formula 1 season with the team.
The seven-time World Champion enters 2026 in a bright mood, after being left despondent across his debut campaign with the Scuderia last year.
Hamilton was left struggling with an uncompetitive and troublesome car throughout the 2025 campaign, contributing to his first-ever podium-less season.
The Briton has previously spoken of how its successor, the SF-26, has been developed with his input, adding his “DNA” to it, leaving him already feeling more of an affinity with it.
Ahead of this weekend’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton, when asked if he feels different to how he felt when he first arrived at Ferrari, replied to media including Motorsport Week: “Massively.
“Different to the first year and and a much nicer feeling coming having spent a year at the team, understanding the culture, understanding ways, finding ways of working together.
“I think we’re in a good place now, together as a team, and I feel very gelled with the team today, so much happier.
“I think it’s the culture, the difference in culture. The difference in which the team operates compared to what I’ve experienced with British teams, for example.
“And I think it’s really just getting to know each other. I think there’s lots of meetings, lots of discussions, lots of communication, improving communication naturally [with] time at the factory, which I gave a lot last year, but continue to truly show up.”
Lewis Hamilton boosted by ‘creating allyship’ with Ferrari for second season
With the SF-25 displaying the behavioural patterns of a tantrum-prone child, Ferrari abandoned its development early to focus on the SF-26.
And if Bahrain testing has anything to go by, then the team has most certainly been vindicated in that pivot, as it, while not appearing to be the fastest overall, seems to display far more placid characteristics, as well as impressive long run pace and a lightning fast start.
Hamilton indicated that he feels that he has found an alignment between himself and Ferrari in terms of finding ways to improve the harmony, and revealed that the preparation he did not enjoy last year has vindicated his choice in moving to the team from Mercedes.
“Just asking for change is one thing, but finding ways to create allyship and show that why change is better for us as a whole, and going on the journey together to discovering that and making those improvements,” he continued.
“I think we have started to do that towards the end of last year and particularly going into this season.
“And again, just because it was such a steep learning curve last year and we were kind of learning on the go.
“But I think we are so much more prepared this year, which I’m really, really excited for.
“And it goes back to the confidence and the reason I joined the team, the belief that I have in joining the team and what I believe I can do with this team is even stronger than it ever was before.”
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