FORMULA 1 ABU DHABI GP LEWIS HAMILTON RUMOURS

Hamilton’s tough challenge: What it takes to succeed with Ferrari

19:43, 24 Jan

byLudo van Denderen

Lewis Hamilton faces an intriguing season: Can the former world champion master the challenges of the new Ferrari and get back to fighting for Grand Prix victories — perhaps even the title?

Team boss Frederic Vasseur stated that Hamilton, as well as teammate Charles Leclerc, need “a complete reset” of their approach.

"It means that they will have to change completely the way that they have to approach the weekend, develop during the weekend, the way of even driving will be probably a bit different," the Frenchman told GPblog, among others, during a media session in Fiorano.

Learning to handle the new generation of Formula 1 cars is a challenge for the drivers, Vasseur suggested. “Our job will be to give them the good tools to be at their maximum potential.

"It's true that we are all starting from scratch, we are all discovering the challenges. I think this is a good feeling I would say, because it's our job, our DNA, to tackle this kind of situation, and drivers are part of the equation. I think it's a very interesting challenge for us and for the others."

The Ferrari SF-26 - Photo: Ferrari

Metamorphosis in Formula 1: this is the biggest challenge

The 2026 F1 cars bear little resemblance to their predecessors from last year. Significant regulatory changes have been introduced both in terms of power units and chassis. Vasseur believes he knows where the key to success lies.

"I think the key for the performance will be a good integration between chassis. For sure development is key, performance is key, [the] performance of every single area is key. But at the end of the day the biggest challenge will be probably the integration of all the systems together, including the drivers."

GPblog's F1 Paddock Update

Want to stay up-to-date with what happens in the F1 paddock? Then GPblog's F1 Paddock Update video is the perfect way to do it. Subscribe to GPblog's YouTube channel and turn on notifications to never miss the latest episodes.