Hamilton rejects Verstappen narrative: 'The best racing ever experienced in F1'

While the Dutchman continued his personal crusade against the new regulations in China, once again firing sharp criticism at a Formula 1 that resembles playing “Mario Kart,” the seven-time world champion, fresh from his first podium with Ferrari, said he was thoroughly enthusiastic about the changes.

“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.”

The Ferrari driver stressed he was particularly excited by the racing the new cars are producing, saying it reminded him of the wheel-to-wheel battles he used to experience in karting.

Speaking to GPblog among other media after the race, Frederic Vasseur explained that a driver’s second season with a team is usually much smoother, as they are already integrated into the project from the very beginning.

In this case, Hamilton had been involved with the development process since the middle of 2025, spending time in the simulator when the programme first got underway. That earlier involvement, he suggested, has helped him feel far more connected to the project compared to the previous year, when he only joined the team in January with the car already built.

He also pointed out that the Brit is now much more familiar with the people around him, with relationships inside the team continuing to strengthen over time. That growing understanding, he added, makes it easier to work closely with everyone across the team.