Hamilton reveals why Ferrari’s SF-26 feels worlds apart from last year’s car
Photo: Race Pictures
Tobia is a Formula 1 journalist at GPblog with experience at international circuits. Since 2022, he has covered Grands Prix across Europe, delivering reliable coverage and insights from the paddock.
Hamilton expressed far more positive feelings about the SF-26 compared to the difficulties he faced last season.
“This is a car that I’ve been able to help develop on the simulator over the last eight to ten months, so a bit of my DNA is in it”- Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton strikes optimistic tone over Ferrari’s new SF-26
Speaking to GPblog among other media on the opening day of the final Bahrain test, the Briton said the new 2026 car feels far more suited to him than last year’s, having been able to play a hands-on role by providing feedback and input throughout the car’s development.
“I think I always try to enter a season with confidence, but of course you’re faced with all sorts of different challenges along the way. This is definitely, for me, a period where I’ve obviously gone through quite a bit and left everything from last year behind me.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I’ve really felt that this winter has been about rebuilding, refocusing, and really getting my body and mind to a much better place. Obviously, I’ve got a bit of a cold right now, but in general I’ve been making sure I arrive feeling better. Personally, I feel in the best place I’ve been in a long, long time. With rearranging things within my team and working with the car, I think we’ve started off quite well so far.”
Photo: Race Pictures
Finally, the seven-time world champion spoke about feeling far more connected to this new generation of cars, having inherited an SF-25 last year with which he almost never managed to find any real feeling.
“It’s just an exciting time with this new generation of car as well, because it’s all brand new. We’re all trying to figure it out on the go. Last year, we were locked into a car that I ultimately inherited.”
“This is a car that I’ve been able to help develop on the simulator over the last eight to ten months, so a bit of my DNA is in it. I feel more connected to this one for sure.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Follow the opening day of the final Bahrain test with GPblog
After a week’s break, the drivers were back on track for the final three days that will bring pre-season testing to a close, before the countdown begins to the season opener in Melbourne.
In the morning, Leclerc was the quickest, with Ferrari once again showing strong power unit reliability, while Piastri has just displaced him to take provisional top spot for the day.
Read also
ADVERTISEMENT
Don’t miss GPblog in Google
Mark us as a preferred source and our articles will appear more often at the top of Top Stories.
Add as a preferred / source on Google
