MOTORSPORT – Formula One’s seven-time drivers’ world champion Lewis Hamilton is feeling reinvigorated heading into the 2026 F1 season and says he is “more connected” to this season’s car, which he described as having “a bit of (his) DNA”.
The 41-year-old Briton is coming off one of the most challenging campaigns of his 18-year career in motorsport’s top flight – scoring his fewest championship points since 2009 on his debut with Ferrari.
Hamilton highlighted, however, that he is now “in the best place (he’s) been in a long time”, and it has fully recharged him for the gruelling 24-round F1 world championship that is to come.
“I always try to enter into a season with confidence, but, of course, you’re faced with all sorts of different challenges along the way,” Hamilton said yesterday during an F1 drivers’ Press conference at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), held on the sidelines of day one in week two of F1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2026 in Sakhir.
“For me – obviously I’ve gone through quite a bit – left everything, and all of last year’s behind me.
“I spent a lot of time rebuilding over this winter, refocusing, and really getting my body and my mind to a much better place.
“I generally feel, personally, in the best place I’ve been in a long time – with rearranging things within my team and with the car, and I think we’ve started off quite well so far.”
Hamilton expressed his delight in having been able to play a bigger role in the development of his 2026 SF-26 contender around the sweeping new regulations that are coming into effect in F1’s ‘new era’ this campaign.
“It’s an exciting time with this new generation of car because it’s all brand new – we’re all trying to figure it out on the go,” Hamilton explained.
“Last year, we locked into a car that, ultimately, I inherited. This is a car that I’ve been able to be a part of developing on a simulator for the last eight to 10 months, so a bit of my DNA is within it. I’m more connected to this one, for sure.”
Hamilton is further encouraged by the positive atmosphere within the team at Ferrari, and stressed his unwavering commitment to helping lead the 16-time F1 constructors’ world champions back to success. The Italian manufacturers finished fourth in last year’s teams’ standings.
“It’s definitely been a challenge – one that I’ve enjoyed for the most part – but having had a year now with the team, everything is much more settled, the ins and outs of the working relationships, so I’m really, really excited about this season,” said Hamilton.
“I think everyone has really showed up with really great positivity, even at the end of last year – just the empathy within team, the hunger, you could see as I’ve travelled around the workshop to go and see people before Christmas, and then to see them show up this year, it’s a really positive feeling so far.
“I knew it wasn’t going to be an overnight thing and we would have success immediately. That’s why I signed a longer deal – because I knew it was more often than not a process.
“I feel like we’ve also learned a huge amount from last year as a team, and there have been changes that we’ve made. Everyone’s constantly keen to make improvements and be better, so I think we’re working better together than ever before. So I’m excited for that moving forward.”
Hamilton was in the car for last night’s evening pre-season testing session at BIC.
He is expected to return to testing over the next two days of running.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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